The Unsung ACES
by lixiaofossil
Summary: Based on ACE Combat 5: The Unsung War, I'm rewriting the story by my own way.
1. Armory

_I once told about plots of ACE Combat 04 and ACE Combat 5 in form of bedtime stories to girls, they really love them and encourage me to write a fanfic, so here I am to humbly make this feeble attempt. And please pardon my bizarre English, for my native language is Chinese.  
_

First off, the Armory Part...or "The Harem that Every Pilot Dreams of".**  
**

* * *

**Low-Tier Aircraft**

* * *

**F-16C Fighting Falcon**

※ Brief Synopsis

Presented by Lockheed Martin, a decent light-duty general-purpose fighter. Since new, better aircrafts are being commissioned one by one, it now becomes training crafts for trainees of Osean Air Defense Force

※ Default Weapons

M61A1 20mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AIM-120D: Four rounds per salvo

Light Gunpod × 4

LAU-68 Rocket Hive-Pod × 4

Mk-82: Four rounds per salvo

* * *

**F-2A Viper Zero**

※ Brief Synopsis

Derived from F-16C, F-2A is a light-duty general-purpose fighter issued to every new-enlisted Osean fighter pilot as initial operational plane. It has better function ratings than its Lockheed Martin origin

※ Default Weapons

M61A1 20mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AIM-120D: Four rounds per salvo

AIM-9X: Two rounds per salvo

CRV7 Rocket Hive-Pod × 4

Mk-82: Four rounds per salvo

* * *

**Su-27 Flanker**

※ Brief Synopsis

A cheap and fine heavy-duty fighter, employed by many countries and non-governmental military organizations on Planet Strangereal

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

R-27R1: Two rounds per salvo

CBU-87: Two rounds per salvo

FAB-500: Four rounds per salvo

R-77: Six rounds per salvo

* * *

**Su-33 Flanker-D**

※ Brief Synopsis

A naval version of the original Su-27 with function ratings improved. It is usually used with naval fleet associations

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

R-77: Six rounds per salvo

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

UB-32 Rocket Hive-Pod × 6

AGM-84D: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**F-14D Super Tomcat**

※ Brief Synopsis

The last variant in F-14 Tomcat Series, although relatively cumbersome compare with other fighters of same tier, its main virtues are payloads, speed and duration

※ Default Weapons

M61A1 20mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AIM-120D: Six rounds per salvo

AIM-7M: Two rounds per salvo

Mk-77: Two rounds per salvo

Mk-84: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**A-6E Intruder**

※ Brief Synopsis

An all-weather, two-seat, subsonic, carrier-based attack aircraft. When used under air superiority, it can quickly decimate even the most powerful battleship

※ Default Weapons

GAU-13 30mm Vulcan Cannon × 2 (in two gunpods)

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AGM-65G: Six rounds per salvo

AGM-84D: Two rounds per salvo

Mk-84: Two rounds per salvo

AGM-88D: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**A-7E Corsair II**

※ Brief Synopsis

A single-seat, single-engine, subsonic carrier-based attacker aircraft, although had already fossilized, its service records are respectable

※ Default Weapons

M61A1 20mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AGM-84D: Two rounds per salvo

Mk-84: Two rounds per salvo

Light Gunpod × 4

Heavy Gunpod × 2

* * *

**A-10A Thunderbolt II**

※ Brief Synopsis

Both heavy-armored and heavy-armed, "thunderbolt" is not enough to describe this flying rhinoceros. Capable of execute both pinpoint extermination and area bombardment, its only demand is friendly air superiority

※ Default Weapons

GAU-8/A 30mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AGM-65G: Six rounds per salvo

GBU-28: Two rounds per salvo

BLU-96: Two rounds per salvo

Mk-20: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**Sea Harrier FA.2**

※ Brief Synopsis

An upgraded version of the original Sea Harrier, it is not as advanced as F-35B Lightning II, but low operational requirements allow it to be employed by many countries and non-governmental military organizations on Planet Strangereal

※ Default Weapons

ADEN 30mm Autocannon × 2 (in two gunpods)

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AIM-7M: Two rounds per salvo

CRV7 Rocket Hive-Pod × 4

AGM-84D: Two rounds per salvo

AGM-88D: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**Medium-Tier Aircraft**

* * *

**F-15E Strike Eagle**

※ Brief Synopsis

A heavy-duty general-purpose fighter. It can engage both air and ground targets with high efficiency

※ Default Weapons

M61A1 20mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AIM-120D: Six rounds per salvo

AIM-9X: Two rounds per salvo

AGM-65G: Six rounds per salvo

Mk-20: Four rounds per salvo

* * *

**F/A-18E Super Hornet**

※ Brief Synopsis

A well-balanced variant in F/A-18 Hornet Series, it's mostly deployed on carriers and bases near sea

※ Default Weapons

M61A2 20mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AIM-120D: Six rounds per salvo

AGM-84D: Two rounds per salvo

GBU-28: Two rounds per salvo

Heavy Gunpod × 2

* * *

**F-15SE Silent Eagle**

※ Brief Synopsis

An improved variant in F-15 Eagle Series, with a considerably revised design

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

M61A1 20mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AIM-120D: Six rounds per salvo

AIM-9X: Two rounds per salvo

AGM-65G: Six rounds per salvo

Mk-77: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**MiG-31M Foxhound**

※ Brief Synopsis

An advanced version of the standard MiG-31 Foxhound, featured upgraded avionics and a slightly different design, it is considerably faster and more durable than other aircrafts of same tier

※ Default Weapons

GSh-6-23 23mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

R-77: Six rounds per salvo

R-27R1: Two rounds per salvo

Mk-82: Four rounds per salvo

Light Gunpod × 4

* * *

**MiG-35 Fulcrum-F**

※ Brief Synopsis

A further development from MiG-29 Series. It is fast, agile and equipped with advanced avionics systems

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

R-77: Six rounds per salvo

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

R-37: Six rounds per salvo

Mk-82: Four rounds per salvo

* * *

**Su-35 Super Flanker**

※ Brief Synopsis

A modernized variant of the Su-27 Flanker, it is highly maneuverable, providing a non-negligible advantage in dogfight

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

R-37: Six rounds per salvo

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

Kh-31PM: Two rounds per salvo

B-13 Rocket Hive-Pod × 12

* * *

**Su-37 Terminator**

※ Brief Synopsis

A very maneuverable thrust vectoring heavy-duty fighter derived from Su-35 prototype. It represents a new level of technology and capability of military aviation

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

R-37: Six rounds per salvo

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

Mk-77: Two rounds per salvo

BLU-96: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**High-Tier Aircraft**

* * *

**F-15S/MTD**

※ Brief Synopsis

An advanced heavy-duty general-purpose fighter. It dawns new era of aviation technologies

※ Default Weapons

M61A1 20mm Vulcan Cannon × 1 (in gunpod)

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AIM-120D: Six rounds per salvo

AIM-9X: Two rounds per salvo

AGM-88D: Two rounds per salvo

AGM-65G: Six rounds per salvo

* * *

**F-35B Lightning II**

※ Brief Synopsis

Advanced light-duty general-purpose fighter. Its most obvious signatures are VOTL and SOTL capabilities and benefit from aforementioned characteristics, it is highly agile in dogfight

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

GAU-22/A 25mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

Short-Range Aerial Suppression Missile: Two rounds per salvo

Omni-Directional Multi-Purpose Missile: Four rounds per salvo

AGM-84D: Two rounds per salvo

AGM-154C: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**F-22A Raptor**

※ Brief Synopsis

The template of fifth-generation fighters. It is a formidable opponent to every winged and ground target

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

M61A2 20mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AIM-120D: Six rounds per salvo

AIM-9X: Two rounds per salvo

GBU-28: Two rounds per salvo

AGM-154C: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**FB-22 Strike Raptor**

※ Brief Synopsis

Derived from F-22A, it is a high-maneuverable supersonic attacker designed to take out targets with tight defense such as Death Star's core reactor

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

M61A2 20mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

AGM-65G: Six rounds per salvo

AGM-154C: Two rounds per salvo

JP233: One round per salvo

AIM-9X: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**YF-23A Black Widow II**

※ Brief Synopsis

Electronic low observable is the first priority of its design, without compromising much rating of other aspects

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

M61A2 20mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

AIM-9M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

Short-Range Aerial Suppression Missile: Two rounds per salvo

Omni-Directional Multi-Purpose Missile: Six rounds per salvo

JP233: One round per salvo

BLU-96: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**MiG-1.44**

※ Brief Synopsis

A unique and advanced fifth-generation fighter, but it is rarely seen being put into use

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

Light Gunpod × 4

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

Mk-84: Two rounds per salvo

B-13 Rocket Hive-Pod × 4

* * *

**Su-47 Berkut**

※ Brief Synopsis

A forward-swept wing fighter, with high rating at every aspect

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

R-27R1: Two rounds per salvo

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

JP233: One round per salvo

Mk-77: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**S-32**

※ Brief Synopsis

One of the best high-tier fighters, also the choice of many elite and ace pilots

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

Kh-31PM: Two rounds per salvo

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

Mk-77: Two rounds per salvo

R-77: Six rounds per salvo

* * *

**Su-43 Berkut II**

※ Brief Synopsis

Derived from Su-47 with enhanced acceleration, deceleration, mobility and stability

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

R-77: Six rounds per salvo

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

Heavy Gunpod × 2

Mk-82: Four rounds per salvo

* * *

**PAK-FA (T-50)**

※ Brief Synopsis

An exceptional fifth-generation fighter, it is especially suitable to deal with other aircrafts of same and lower tiers and also good at clearing ground targets

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

Novator K-100: Six rounds per salvo

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

Kh-31PM: Two rounds per salvo

Kh-41: One round per salvo

* * *

**PAK-FA II Sharkopath **(name borrowed from The Future is Wild)

※ Brief Synopsis

Although still under R&D and therefore yet to be formally manufactured, it had shown the potent power of prevailing over other high-tier aircrafts if being piloted properly. The three-engine and thrust vectoring designs bestow it eximious speed, acceleration and mobility

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 2

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

Novator K-100: Six rounds per salvo

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

Kh-29D: Six rounds per salvo

BLU-96: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**J-20**

※ Brief Synopsis

Presented by China to prove its rivalries against other major factions on Planet Earth. Since considerably cheaper than F-22A and PAK-FA, it can be deployed in larger number

It processes electronic low observable abilities

※ Default Weapons

GSh-30-1 30mm Autocannon × 1

R-60M: Four rounds per salvo

※ Special Weapons

R-37: Six rounds per salvo

PL-12: Six rounds per salvo

Mk-77: Two rounds per salvo

Mk-82: Four rounds per salvo

* * *

**Special Purpose Aircraft**

* * *

**F-117A Nighthawk**

※ Brief Synopsis

Very first aircraft processes practical electronic low observable abilities, still being used as attacker. Some units are also used as scouts

※ Weapons

AGM-88D

GBU-28

* * *

**EA-18G Growler**

※ Brief Synopsis

Electronic warfare support aircraft, derived from regular models in F/A-18 Hornet Series

※ Weapons

AIM-9M

* * *

**SR-71 Blackbird**

※ Brief Synopsis

Scout designed for operating with high-speed and high-altitude

* * *

**E-767 AWACS**

※ Brief Synopsis

AWACS aircraft used by every nation and non-military organization on Planet Strangereal

* * *

**AC-130U Spooky**

※ Brief Synopsis

Heavy-duty gunship capable of assisting conventional & special ground forces

※ Weapons

GAU-12/U 25 mm Vulcan Cannon × 1

L/60 Bofors 40 mm Autocannon × 1

M102 105 mm Howitzer × 1

* * *

**B-52H Stratofortress**

※ Brief Synopsis

Heavy-duty strategic bomber

* * *

**Tu-95 Bear**

※ Brief Synopsis

Heavy-duty strategic bomber

* * *

**B-1B Lancer**

※ Brief Synopsis

Heavy-duty supersonic strategic bomber

* * *

**Tu-160 Blackjack**

※ Brief Synopsis

Heavy-duty supersonic strategic bomber

* * *

**C-130H Hercules**

※ Brief Synopsis

Heavy-duty transport.

* * *

**C-5 Galaxy**

※ Brief Synopsis

Heavy-duty transport

* * *

**An-225 Mriya**

※ Brief Synopsis

The heaviest transport humankind currently put in use

* * *

**KC-10 Extender**

※ Brief Synopsis

Aircraft used for aerial refueling by all groups on Planet Strangereal

* * *

**AH-64D Apache Longbow**

※ Brief Synopsis

One of the mostly employed attacker helicopter, it has decent performance

※ Weapons

M230 30mm Autocannon × 1

CRV7 Rocket Hive-Pod × 2

AGM-114: Four rounds per salvo

AIM-92: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**Mi-24 Superhind**

※ Brief Synopsis

The heaviest attacker helicopter also capable of transport 8 troopers

※ Weapons

Yak-B 12.7mm Vulcan Minigun× 1

Heavy Gunpod × 2

B-8V20 Rocket Hive-Pod × 2

9K114: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**Ka-50 Hokum**

※ Brief Synopsis

A coaxial rotor attacker helicopter. It is faster and more maneuverable than most other attacker helicopters in commission, also packs more firepower

※ Weapons

Shipunov 2A42 30mm Autocannon × 1

B-8V20 Rocket Hive-Pod × 2

9K121: Two rounds per salvo

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**Ka-52 Alligator**

※ Brief Synopsis

A variant of Ka-50, with abilities of conduct battlefield reconnaissance, provide target designation, support and co-ordinate group attack helicopter operations

※ Weapons

Shipunov 2A42 30mm Autocannon × 1

B-8V20 Rocket Hive-Pod × 2

9K121: Two rounds per salvo

R-74EM: Two rounds per salvo

* * *

**MH-60 Black Hawk**

※ Brief Synopsis

A well-designed multi-purpose helicopter

※ Weapons

M134 Vulcan Minigun × 2

CRV7 Rocket Hive-Pod × 2

AGM-114: Four rounds per salvo

Light Gunpod × 2

* * *

**CH-47 Chinook**

※ Brief Synopsis

Tandem rotor, twin-engine heavy-duty transportation helicopter. It can provide limited firepower support from door-mounted guns

* * *

**Mi-310 Thor **(design borrowed, modified and improved from Resident Evil: Afterlife, name borrowed from Earth 2150)

※ Brief Synopsis

High-speed, heavy-duty multi-purpose tiltrotor VTOL aircraft with two sets of coaxial rotors. It can transport considerable quantity of cargo as well as being used as heavy attack copter after outfitted with gunpods, rocket hives and missiles

* * *

**Mi****-**210 Khan (name borrowed from Earth 2150)

※ Brief Synopsis

Multi-purpose tiltrotor VTOL aircraft as a continued research from Mi-310 Thor. It has much bigger capacity thanks to four sets of coaxial rotors installed two by two on frond and behind of its side. It also can function as heavy attack copter when armed

* * *

**YAGR Jet-VTOL **(design and name borrowed, modified and improved from Neon Genesis Evangelion)

※ Brief Synopsis

With two bulky tiltable jet engines fixed on end of stubby wings, YAGR Jet-VTOL is considerably faster and agiler than Mi-310 Thor and Mi-210 Khan, but still can be an easy target to anti-air weaponry. It has a dual six-barrel heavy gatling-gun turret integrated under its nose and total four hardpoints under wings, given the design requirement of close-range heavy firepower support, however it can also used for cargo and personnel transportation, a few of them even undergo unmanned retrofit

* * *

**Miscellaneous**

* * *

**M1 Abrams**

※ Brief Synopsis

A fossilized main battle tank, still being widely used for its reliability

* * *

**T-95**

※ Brief Synopsis

A widely used main battle tank, some are seen mounted with a twin-cannon turret

* * *

**BMP-3**

※ Brief Synopsis

A widely used infantry fighting vehicle.

* * *

**Flakpanzer Gepard**

※ Brief Synopsis

A fossilized but reliable mobile anti-air gun platform, some of them are retrofitted to anti-ground proposes and/or added with missile launchers

* * *

**ZSU-23-4 Shilka**

※ Brief Synopsis

Lightly armored, self-propelled, radar guided anti-air gun platform, some of them are retrofitted with dual six-barrel light gatling-gun to replace original quad autocannon

* * *

**S-400 Triumph**

※ Brief Synopsis

An advanced transportable SAM system, covers from short-range to long-range

* * *

**M270**

※ Brief Synopsis

An armored, self-propelled MLRS (multiple launch rocket system) for heavy firepower support. Some of them are retrofitted to enable both anti-ground and anti-air capabilities

* * *

**9A53-S Tornado**

※ Brief Synopsis

A valiant in the advanced BM-30 Smerch MLRS Series, like the name suggests, it can pour down rain of death

* * *

**AMP Unit **(design and name borrowed, modified and improved from James Cameron's Avatar)

※ Brief Synopsis

A 4 meters high and 1.83 meters wide mechanic walker designed to amplify infantries' strength and mobility while provide better protection against harsh and demanding battlefields. It wields a large-caliber autocannon or a six-barrel heavy gatling-gun as primary weapon, plus shoulder-mounted grenade launchers or missile launchers, some also equipped with proportionately-sized ballistic shields and melee weapons

* * *

**Assault Troop** (design borrowed, modified and improved from Time Crisis 3, another Namco's crowning video game alongside ACE Combat franchise)

※ Brief Synopsis

Nicknamed "Stormtrooper", equipped with light-duty combat exoskeleton power armored suit which can endure multiple hits from anti-personnel sniper rifle, and various infantry weaponry, they're commandos/elite soldiers specialized to quickly wipeout enemy infantry garrisons inside structures and on open fields. By some coincidence, their appearances similar to Imperial TIE Pilots

* * *

**High-Tech Reinforced Armor** (design and name borrowed, modified and improved from Time Crisis 4, another Namco's crowning video game alongside ACE Combat franchise)

※ Brief Synopsis

Nicknamed "Heavy Weapon Dude", the very first practical heavy-duty combat exoskeleton power armored suit put into commission. Wielding a large-caliber general purpose machinegun and with armor-plates designed to stand for two direct hits of light RPG rounds, plus capabilities of directly deployed via air, land and sea transportations, it is truly a "medieval heavy infantry with modern fashion"

* * *

**Small Tower **(design and name borrowed, modified and improved from Earth 2150)

※ Brief Synopsis

Light-duty defense structure

* * *

**Large Tower **(design and name borrowed, modified and improved from Earth 2150)

※ Brief Synopsis

Heavy-duty defense structure with heavy armor and armament

* * *

**Pillbox **(design and name borrowed, modified and improved from Earth 2150)

※ Brief Synopsis

Unlike its name, this is actually a heavily armored defense structure with a set of heavy weaponry mounted on top turret-like, it can take a lot of punch before collapse

* * *

**Special Tuning Parts**

* * *

**Engine Category**

※ Uranus Engine

Weaker heat signature to infrared sensors

Decreases maximum speed

※ Mercury Engine

3-Dimensional thrust vectoring nozzle of newer design to increase much maneuverability and stability

Increases heat signature to infrared sensors

※ Hayabusa Engine

A well-balanced engine streamlined for efficiency, increases maximum speed and acceleration rate

* * *

**Wing Category**

※ Adv Balance Tab

Increases stability

Decreases maneuverability and deceleration rate

※ Adv Anti-Balance Tab

Increases maneuverability and deceleration rate

Decreases stability

* * *

**Armor Category**

※ Diffusion Coat

Increases electronic low observable abilities

Decreases overall durability

* * *

**Weapon Category**

※ Destructive Missile

Increases execution of all missiles and rockets

※ Destructive Bomb

Increases execution of all bombs

※ Extra Ammo

Increases ammunition capacities of all weapons

※ Enhanced Weapon Tracker

Increases all guided weapons' abilities of tracking targets and anti-jamming and anti-decoy, makes them more accurate and harder to counter

※ Long Range Missile

Increases all missiles and rockets' range and speed

※ High-Speed Slug

Increases projectile speed, range, accuracy, execution of all guns/cannons

* * *

**Miscellaneous Category**

※ Tracer

Experimental computer to predict trajectories of airborne objects within forward active radar's scanning scope and display them on HUD, only capable of predict simple trajectories in future timespan of a few seconds, applicable to guided weapons' trackers

※ Earth Shaker

Advanced landscape scanner and analyzer, grants safer and better hedgehopping

※ Hawk Eye

Increases forward active radar's scanning scope from 90 degree to 120 degree

※ Proximal Jammer

An internal jammer to decreases hostile guided weapons' tracking abilities, but has a risk to be tracked as a jamming source by hostile ECCM units


	2. Overture

_**Overture**_

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...sorry, wrong script. Let's try again.

A story thus far…

Narration: "Fifteen yeas ago, there was a war."

As the narration begins, a dew of scarlet blood falls down, lands on an old world map, reddens a small sector which is cited as "Belka".

"Well…war's broken out here plenty of times before. They've tried to invade the southlands through the northern valley time and time again." The reddened patch on the map expands, consuming surrounding areas, now the camera magnifies on this part of entire world.

"Luck was never on their side, though, and their victories didn't last long." The old map is replaced by a modern, digitally rendered military map, highlightening borders and large cities.

"They didn't realize that times had changed." Red on the map begins to rescind, in an alarming rate. "Facing one defeat after another, losing territory and watching their nation dwindle, they build up their industrial strength to unprecedented heights and used it to wage one final battle against the world." Following the arrows indicate direction and strength of invasion, the red expands again.

"That was fifteen years ago…" Footage of war is being flashed on screen like a slideshow.

"They fought ferociously, but were utterly defeated." As narration goes on, arrows of counterattacks appears on map, forcing invasive arrows to back down, and the red color retreats with them, finally all arrows concentrate on a particular point of the map.

"Then they committed the unthinkable—they used nuclear weapons on their own soil." Footage of multiple nuclear detonations, date tagged as "June 6th 1995".

"Seeing this tragedy unfold before their own eyes, the victories countries vowed to throw down their weapons. The world was once again at peace. And thanks to them, it seemed it would last forever. On a distant island, far away from civilization, the protectors of the peace take to the skies."


	3. Operation: Lagoon

_**Operation: Lagoon**_

Sand Island Air Force Base, Osean Federation, Planet Strangereal

September 23rd 2010, 13:52

"Nagase, if you keep flying like that and you'll die real soon!" Leader of 108th Tactical Fighter Squadron, a.k.a. "Wardog Squadron", Captain Jack Bartlett, callsign "Heartbreak One", speaks in upset to his fellow trainee pilot, the only one who survived the unexpected skirmish during the training sortie.

"I won't die, sir." The reply is almost inaudible, comes from the trainee that the captain refers to. A young, short-haired girl, with delicate appearance and slender figure, which makes everyone who sees her thinks it must be some kind of mistake to put such a cute girl in military uniform. This girl, with the name "Kei Nagase" still doesn't pull herself out from the nightmare that she just went through as her face is pale as paper.

Captain: "Are you sure? You look like you couldn't hurt a fly." Actually, he is quite impressed by this girl's performance, that is, if any, the only good thing of this bad-enough day: It was just another training sortie, suddenly base command ordered them to intercept several unknown intruder aircrafts, despite his arrangement to keep trainees out of engagement, all of them flew direct into unidentified planes' formation, military fighters, because base command gave wrong altitude of those bogeys. Then, bogeys turned out to be hostile, and fired without any warnings, eight people died, only Nagase and the captain himself survived and back to base. However, Nagase didn't just manage to survive, she shown quite a potential as a fighter pilot during the process, even shot down a hostile aircraft, which makes Bartlett get interested to her.

Crew Ready Room, 16:00

The Room appears to be wider than it used seems to be—since a considerable portion of trainees, as well as two training instructors assigned to this squadron didn't make it back during the aforementioned skirmish.

"I hate to bring this on, but everyone had already known what happened hours ago." Bartlett says: "From tomorrow, all of you must be on alert 24 hours per day, and get ready for actual combat at anytime. If we fly a sortie, stay close to me and do anything necessary to keep yourself alive, if possible, unscratched. Do you get me?"

"We get you sir." Desynchronized replies.

Bartlett: "Nagase!" "Yes sir!" The girl who happens to sit in first row seems surprised by captain's sudden name-call.

"You fly as Number Two on my wing, gotta keep an eye on you or who knows what you'll get yourself into."

Nagase doesn't say anything, but her expression is slightly angry, is captain still mad at her for what she had done? She just did what an Osean pilot should do—eliminating enemies.

Cape Landers

Longitude: 156 Degree 02 Minute 07 Second East

Latitude: 4 Degree 30 Minute 09 Second North

September 24th 2010, 11:01

A four-aircraft formation of Mitsubishi F-2A Viper Zero Light-Duty General-Purpose Fighters enters the airspace, the leader Wardog One is Bartlett, accompanied by wingman Wardog Two, Second Lieutenant Kei Nagase, callsign "Edge", Wardog Three, Second Lieutenant Alvin H. Davenport who is talkative as C3PO, callsign "Chopper", then Wardog Four, callsign Blaze, who is almost too reticent that Davenport once joked: "I have to call Blaze every five minutes to confirm that he is still alive and awake." Don't know who established this bizarre regulation in ACE Combat: The range of selectable aircraft models to a pilot is depended on his/her rank and combat records, which means those rookies only have the least and low-tier planes to choose. However the regulation maker, whoever he/she is, is not that cruel after all, at least he/she sets F-2A to be the initial operational plane to every new-enlisted Osean fighter pilot. F-2A is derived from Lockheed Martin's F-16C and serves as its counterpart in Japan Air Self-Defense Force, but it boosts better rating at every major aspect compare with its American original model, four of them can take on a moderate-sized enemy squadron of same tier without much difficulty if pilots are experienced. Davenport comments as: "Well, although I envy those who have F-22A, PAK-FA (T-50) and J-20, but I'm satisfied with this bird, as least HQ doesn't issue me F-4 or MiG-21."

An SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft of unknown affiliation was spotted inside Osean airspace, and ignored repeat warning from Osean military—until further warnings are no longer important. Osean Costal Defense Force launched a barrage of anti-air missiles, damaged it and forced it to decrease altitude, Captain Bartlett's squadron is dispatched to bring back the damaged bogey for identification. Sand Island Base Command specified all participating pilots are not allowed to fire until further orders are given.

"Wardog Squadron, this is AWACS Thunderhead, your objective is bring target back, do not fire upon it, repeat, do not fire upon it."

Bartlett: "Wardog Leader roger, guys, do you copy?"

Nagase: "Edge roger."

Davenport: "Chopper roger."

Blaze: "Blaze roger."

Bartlett: "Guys, this is not training but actual mission, however don't get nervous, just do what you always do." A brief halt, he suddenly reminds something: "Say, what happened to that Motormouth Chopper? He's so quite today."

Davenport: "Motormouth? C'mon boss, I think you're more talkative than me. Those HQ bureaucracies threatened to bill me for communication flow occupation so I speak less than usual, you know I'm saving money for a new X-Box 360 and ACE Combat: Assault Horizon…"

Blaze: "Everyone, if I may say so, the target is close enough to have a visual confirmation, I suggest we cut the chatter." He is right, a lonely SR-71 is flying to the same direction of the squadron does, it seems sustaining considerable damage and cannot maintain its usual stereotyped high-speed and high-altitude. It is a miracle for this vehicle manages to stay afloat since its fuel tank is "designed to leak", only heat expansion can keep it sealed—heat generated by high-speed flight, which means at current speed, SR-71's fuel tank will continue to leak to empty.

Wardog Squadron catches up, flies close behind target reconnaissance plane. Bartlett: "Chopper, since you're Motormouth, will you be kind enough to send the surrender request?"

Davenport: "Oh boss, all you need to do is ask." He opens communication channel to hail SR-71: "…testing…unidentified aircraft, we are Osean Air Defense Force, please set your course for our beacon immediately…we know you're leaking fuel, we'll direct you to the nearest airfield to land, now please follow our instructions."

SR-71 complies, Davenport: "Good, good boy…or girl, sorry if I mistaken your gender." He switches channel to Bartlett's: "Hey boss, I did all the works today, will you say something positive about me in your report?"

Bartlett: "No problem, I'll even file a promotion request for you."

Davenport: "You're so sweet man, I'm almost crying…(pretend sobbing)"

Nagase: "You two just like crosstalk actors, tell me, all your lines are from pre-prepared scripts back in base, don't you?"

Davenport: "That's why I'm here, perform crosstalk with captain…Blaze, Blaze? Are you all right? Still with us?"

Blaze: "Umph? Um, I'm fine, I think we should be on alert, the mission is still in-progress."

Davenport: "Still can't take a joke? You gotta learn not to be that serious, buddy."

Bartlett: "You heard the man kid, I'm with him on this point, you gotta learn find and enjoy the happiness of work."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Wardog, I have four bogeys at bearing 280, altitude…6000, they're coming straight for you. Now matching bogey's specifications from databank…hold your fire until further orders."

Bartlett: "Copy that. It seems someone else also want this SR-71 for prize. Guys, get ready to fire but do not fire until I say yes, if bogeys fire first, take evasive procedures, understood?"

Other three pilots: "Understood sir."

AWACS Thunderhead: "All bogeys identified as Su-27, we're hailing them for affiliation identification. Do not get too exited and shoot them." He is too late, since the on-board computers of Warwolf Squadron's F-2As had already acknowledged pilots that they're facing four Su-27s of unknown origin, and more importantly, those bogeys had already launched R-77s.

Wardog Squadron breaks formation to different directions, actually those missile are not coming for them but for the valuable SR-71, it takes four direct hits and disintegrates in mid-air.

Davenport: "Great! Here goes our valuable hostage."

Nagase: "They over-flew us…they turned back…they fired!" Warwolf Squadron takes evasive actions again.

Bartlett: "Return fire! I'll take all responsibilities!" Nagase is the first one who achieves a kill, she happens to be on a Su-27's tail when firing permission is given by captain.

Davenport is being chased by an enemy plane, Blaze goes after it to help a hand. Su-27 breaks attack run and turns to evade the pursuer, Blaze fires his gun and opens a column of holes on its back, then it explodes into a bright orange fireball.

Bartlett flies directly to a Su-27 head-on, he launches AIM-9M before target fires R-60, knocks it out. At the same time, Davenport gets his first kill record by shoot down the remaining one.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Wardog Squadron! You're violating direct orders! I told you too hold your fire!"

Davenport: "C'mon! They fired at us first, and they were not firing blanks! Which side you are on?!"

AWACS Thunderhead: "More bogies coming, this time you must follow the orders, weapons safe! I repeat, weapons safe!"

Bartlett cuts transmission: "Screw it! Do everything you can pilots!"

Another four Su-27s, flying in a row. Both squadrons fly directly to opponent formation and break into free engagements.

Davenport: "I've got two Flankers at six, any help?" Seems figured out Second Lieutenant Alvin H. Davenport is slightly weaker than others, two Su-27s make an agile turn and grip his tail. They fire guns, 30mm slugs almost scratch Davenport's hull.

Blaze just downed an enemy: "Hang on, here I come!" He occupies attack position behind two Su-27s, destroys one, the other one considers the change of balance of power, breaks pursuit and escapes, then gets downed by Nagase.

Davenport: "Thank you pal, I owe both of you a drink." Bartlett, who made his second kill of the day, warns: "The third wave incoming, four Su-27s!"

Seeing another row of enemy aircrafts approaching on both visual and active radar screen, Davenport says: "Hey, would you mind if I grab the first kill this time?"

Bartlett: "Negative, don't charge too forward. To everyone, cover each other if you can and call for help if you have to!" Given the previous positive engagement records, three newbie in Wardog Squadron handle the third wave without too many difficulties, much to squadron leader's satisfaction: "Wardog Leader to all pilots, the sky is clean, well done kids, RTB. And congratulations to who achieved first kill record in your military career today, now you are a real fighter pilot of Osean Federation."


	4. Operation: Gyre

_**Operation: Gyre**_

Sand Island Air Force Base

September 24th 2010, 18:00

It is Hangar C of rear sector of the base, a huge structure capable of parking a small squadron, its gate is wide-open, and the principal of the hangar as well as the principal of all contents inside it, is sitting on a bench outside the gate, enjoying the daily tropical sunset as he always does. Wolfgang Buchner, also being called "Pops" by everyone, is a kind and wise oldman and a professional machinist, he is also Captain Bartlett's intimate friend.

A tall and muscular figure walks to him, it is definitely Bartlett, after the squad touched down, all four pilots were immediately summoned by base command for inquiry. No greetings are needed between two friends that close, Wolfgang asks directly: "How's the trial going?"

Bartlett: "Very dramatic. At first Fatty His Highness accuses me for ignoring direct orders to fire at bogeys, then he commends me for making the right choice of ignoring direct orders and saved those kids' lives, then old-schools like 'expecting better performance in future', that's all."

Wolfgang: "How about the kids?"

Bartlett: "They got their deserved commendations, now they're enjoying some sleep in their cells. After all, this is a tough day even for me." He lets out a relived sigh.

Wolfgang: "Quite a job of being three children's daddy, huh?"

Bartlett: "They managed to survive the first actual combat, for Nagase, the second. I don't know how long I can keep them alive and unscratched." The captain changes the topic: "Now the command must pull out all the tricks to find out the origins of unidentified aircrafts, I bet they won't rest for days."

The two friends go silence, since they both know the efforts to attribute those planes are not that necessary, everyone in this base has a good idea of where they came from—right in front of them, beyond western horizon, across the Ceres Ocean, is Murska Airbase of Union of Yuktobanian Republics, another global superpower alongside Osean Federation itself. The two countries were allies since the Belkan War, but things can change, and sometimes can change in a sudden.

Bartlett lightens up the heavy atmosphere by joking himself: "Well, just hope I won't be 'Heartbreak Twice'." He used to have a girlfriend back to the time of Belkan War, a Yuktobanian military personnel, but because the war, they broke up. That's why he gave himself the callsign "Heartbreak One", and the emblem painted on his jetfighter's hull—a poker card of Red Heart A, in the middle there is a heart cut in two by a dragger, half is red another half is white.

September 27th 2010

Days had past since the "Close Encounters of Firepower Kind" of Wardog Squadron. Publicly, the skirmishes are well covered, but everyone in Osean Defense Forces Central Command and the central government is alerted and busied to solve these issues. During this progress, new issues arise, Wardog Squadron now is to deal with them.

Mission Briefing Room, 10:30

"A ship of unknown origin has been detected approaching Sand Island coastline. We've confirmed that this ship has launched numerous unmanned aerial vehicles probably used for reconnaissance. The UAV will likely return to the launch ship for retrieval after completing their spy operations. You are to halt this operation by intercepting and destroying these recon drones before they can be recovered by the ship. However, do not attack the ship until further orders are transmitted. Now proceed to hangar and get ready to take off."

Ceres Ocean

Longitude: 145 Degree 24 Minute 34 Second East

Latitude: 08 Degree 01 Minute 13 Second North

September 27th 2010, 11:33

Four F-2As fly over Sand Island, a tiny volcanic island eroded into an atoll. This small patch of dry-land serves as both a backwater and a frontline base in Osean Federation's overall defense, that's why it is attractive to someone with "inclement intensions". Wardog Squadron's four fighters form a rhombus formation, fly west to meet the peepers, they are all armed with AIM-9M as standard generic-purpose missile, AIM-120D XMAA (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) as primary special weapon, AIM-9X QAAM (Quick Maneuver Air-to-Air Missile) as secondary special weapon. Actually, this armament configuration is way overkill for hunting some UAVs—as long as they don't pack air-to-air capability.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Transmitting targets' coordinates…those drones are cunning, staying right beyond reach of Sand Island's air defense system. Wardog, targets are no-aggressive Searcher Mk. II Reconnaissance UAVs, you can take them out with ease, but make sure shoot them all down before returning to spy vessel."

Bartlett: "Wardog Leader understood, kids, show me what you've got."

Nagase: "Roger, Edge engaging."

Davenport: "Roger, Chopper engaging."

Blaze: "Roger, Blaze engaging."

Two UAVs dead ahead, blaze fires missiles to them, achieves first two kills in this mission, follow him, Nagase and Davenport got their kills too, the situation is just a plain target practice alongside a game of eagle and chicks. Since there are no targets with weapons to fire back, Bartlett doesn't need to participate and assist anyone, just observes his subordinate's activities of pursuit and destroy.

Davenport: "I'm glad they don't have pilots inside, I still feel guilty of shooting manned aircrafts down."

Blaze: "We're soldiers, we are obliged to terminate unauthorized incomers. They hire us to kill, 12000 credits per month plus bonus for each confirmed execution."

Davenport: "Really? I thought they just hire us to operate military hardwires, not firing something explosive to others. Anyway, I feel better fighting drones rather than fighters myself."

Reconnaissance UAV stands no chance against F-2A, not to say four of them with advanced missiles, less than five minutes all drones are shot down, during the process some of them attempt to use combat maneuvers of some sort, yet insufficient to escape from manned battleplanes.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Spy vessel is moving…it's attempting to escape to west. Wardog Squadron, fly to its position and keep it from escape until a boarding party arrives, but don't fire at it…wait…four bogeys inbound at 280, and coming in fast!"

Bartlett: "Then we must destroy those bogeys before doing anything to the ship. I wonder how many planes they got lined up at the border."

Davenport: "I'd like to say lined up at the grinder. We can scrap them in no time, right?"

Bartlett: "Don't get cocky Rock 'n' Roller, you'll be Swiss-cheesed if those are high-tier models."

Davenport: "I know boss, but since they are Flankers, we can take on them, do you agree?"

Bartlett: "So you stay and fight, I and others are going back to enjoy some drink and snack."

Davenport: "That's cruel boss…here they come."

Su-27s break into singles, seems they intend to play one on one. However Wardog Squadron has no interest to play with them this time. Four AIM-120D, four confirmed kills.

Bartlett: "Now we can move to disturb the ship's flee."

Nagase: "I have visual confirmation of the ship…it looks like a large freighter to me…and no apparent symbols on its hull."

Bartlett: "Not all unidentified ships raise gigantic banners written as 'we are ships from adversary factions, come and get us'. Guys, stay frosty, we just circle the ship to slow it down, don't fire upon it and don't get too close—nor too far."

Nagase: "On the deck there are orderly organized metal container…how do they launch and receive UAVs like this?"

Bartlett: "Edge, you're too close to ship, pull out!" Before he finishes this sentence, a container on the deck opens, reveals its content—an S-300PMU-1 surface-to-air missile launcher.

"I can't shake it!" Nagase is being chased by an advanced active-radar-homing SAM, she does maneuvers and release chaffs, but that missile doesn't get hampered at all, still stick on her tail, the distance between them is shortening, that's not a good sign.

Bartlett inserts himself between Nagase and missile, missile immediately turns on him. However F-2A is a low-tier fighter after all, even an experienced pilot like Wardog Leader cannot trick an advanced SAM by piloting it. So Bartlett pulls ejection lever, rocket-propelled seat pushes him to hundreds meters away from the F-2A—which is blown up alongside the missile at the blink of his ejection.

Nagase & Davenport & Blaze: "Captain! Are you all right?"

Bartlett: "I'm fine, good chute, no scratches."

Nagase: "Captain I'm sorry…"

Bartlett: "Save the waterworks Edge, pilots are always more important than aircrafts. Just get the crew back alive and unscratched, and tell the base to scramble search and rescue copter, also my reserve plane."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Warning! State of emergency! Wardog Squadron return to base as fast as you can!"

Nagase: "But captain bailed out near a hostile ship, we must stay around until…"

AWACS Thunderhead: "Leave him to rescue team! Yuktobania had declared war on us! Get back to base to refuel and rearm and take off for an urgent mission, if needed, change your planes!"

Bartlett's voice comes from his portable comlink: "Thunderhead is right, some other places need you more than here. Go, I can take care myself."

Nagase: "Captain, hang on there, you must come back."

The remaining three aircrafts fly to east after circling for another round.


	5. Operation: Narrow Margin

_**Operation: Narrow Margin**_

Gazing after his men disappear into depth of eastern sky, Captain Bartlett now has to worry about himself, that is, he is floating not far from the hostile spy vessel. Bartlett takes out weapons from standard survival kit—A P-90 sub-machinegun and a FN-57 pistol, loaded and armed: "They will not capture me without a fight."

However the spy vessel seems ignoring him, just moves farther and farther to west. "Why don't they come and catch me? I have a bad feeling about this." Bartlett speaks in mind. Suddenly the sea around him becomes shallow as his feet reaches something solid. "The tide is ebbing? No, I'm stepping on something made by metal and alloy." The sea is continuing to become shallower and shallower, finally reveals a submarine that Bartlett is right standing upon, he is promptly greeted by a dozen of soldiers come out from hatches, with assault rifles and harpoon guns in their hands.

One of the soldiers speaks with Heavy-Russian-accent English: "Surrender yourself and hand over your weapons!"

Bartlett thinks: "You Yuktobanian really should improve English pronunciation." He complies with Heavy-American-accent Russian: "Возьмите мое оружие."

Upon arrive at Sand Island, three pilots are met by Adjutant Base Commander, Captain Allen C. Hamilton immediately after touch down.

Hamilton: "Union of Yuktobanian Republics had just declared war on Osean Federation at 12:05 and simultaneously launched surprise attacks on several strategical locations on and near western coast, Commander Orson Perrault had relocated all pilots available for reinforcements, you are to assist Port Saint Hewlett which is under attack from enemy air force. Ground crew had reconditioned F-14D for you to get there faster."

Davenport: "So this is a war, things are not funny now." As he switches his active plane with Nagase and Blaze.

Naval Port Saint Hewlett

September 27th 2010, 14:33

Three F-14D Super Tomcat of Wardog Squadron is hurry to the port at full speed in triangle formation. As the final variant in legendary flying powerhouse F-14 Tomcat Series put in commission, its rating of each aspects are considerably upgraded, although still not maneuverable and stable as F-2A, it compensates with higher speed, larger payload and better durability.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Thunderhead to Wardog, you are approaching mission area. Due to pressing circumstances, I'll be issuing an emergency in-flight briefing."

"Our naval base at Port Saint Hewlett is being attacked by Yuktobanian aircrafts, the Third Osean Fleet docked at the port is fighting back, but situation still looks bad. You must provide air support to the fleet while they evacuate from the port and reduce friendly casualties as low as possible. Among these ships is the aircraft carrier OFS Kestrel, it is the flag ship of Third Fleet and a critical combat asset. You must protect Kestrel at all costs."

AWACS Thunderhead: "I know we shouldn't ask too much from you rookies, but we don't have much choice. Kestrel must be safely evacuated, other ships are expendable if necessary."

Blaze: "Understood, we will save as much ships as we can alongside defending the aircraft carrier."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Edge, you lead the formation."

Nagase: "Negative. Blaze you take the lead, I'll fly on your wing."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Second Lieutenant Kei Nagase, follow your orders!"

Nagase: "No. Blaze leads Wardog Squadron, I'll protect his six o'clock." She says to herself in mind: "I will not lose another flight leader, I will not."

Davenport: "Well, I'm not a leader's type, I think I just fly stick to the trail position."

Blaze: "Thunderhead, I will assume Wardog One, someone gotta do this."

AWACS Thunderhead: "So now you are the squadron leader. Good luck to us all."

The entire port is thrown in chaos. The attack comes too suddenly, and the ships cannot effectively deploy formation in such a constrained dimension, not to say coordinate any counterattacks. Cruisers and destroyers of the Third Fleet are firing at Yuktobanian planes and their ordnances with point defense systems—not much in accuracy, while garrisons on shores also retaliate with anything they can find. Yuktobanian plays hardball too, they flies in and out with low altitude, avoiding missiles and solid slugs, meanwhile launching missiles and dropping bombs to any targets they seem to worthy for a missile or a bomb. On the land surrounding the harbor and docks, more than half of the structures are on fire, including some non-military ones. One by one, Osean ships which sustain severest damage begin to incline and sink and are abandoned by their crews.

"This is OFS Kobayashi! We are taking terrible, terrible damage, water is flooding into every level, the ship is leaning to starboard side, abandoning ship…" Suddenly a Yuktobanian A-6E Intruder is shaken off from sky by proximate missile explosion, hurls into OFS Kobayashi's right side with ricochet, this lethal blow sends the ship entirely falls to right and slashes into sea, taking dozens of sailors who happen to be floating near its right. Being crushed by toppling ships is not the only hazard to those people floating in the water, as large quantity of fuel is leaking into sea and is ignited by firefight, they will have a fine, brand-new definition of an old Chinese idiom "水深火热（literally "deep water and scorching fire", can be comprehended as "put into dire suffering" in English）"—if they can survive the day of course. Although no longer have a ship to fight with in a short time, those personnel of Osean Maritime Defense Force who are floating in water don't give up the fight, they shoot enemy planes with pistols—for some luckier ones, sub-machineguns and rifles. Their fighting spirits are to be appreciated, but the effectiveness is another matter.

"This is OFS Schwarz! We are moving away from the ship crowd…wait, wait! Brace for impact!" A Yuktobanian Su-33 Flanker-D, who just flied through a firepower grid, is heavily damaged and is trailing flame, its pilot obviously chooses OFS Schwarz as the intended place to end his and his planes' existences. The burning Sukhoi clashes on ship's foredeck, taking a turret with it and bounces up for a few meters by counteracting force, then falls into sea surface.

Situation of OFS Kestrel is considerably better. Several missile boats managed to form a defense line around it, accompanied with the carrier's on-board anti-air weaponry, dislodge every Yuktobanian unit who attempts an attack. Being relatively safer, Kestrel catapults aircrafts to aid the fight, among them is the Shorebirds Squadron, with Captain Marcus Snow as the leader.

Snow: "This is Captain Snow, callsign Swordsman, we took off from Kestrel and engaging enemy formation."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Copy that, Wardog Squadron is moving to assist you. Your squad's first priority is to protect Kestrel, do not pursuit enemy too far. I repeat, first priority is to protect Kestrel, do not pursuit enemy too far."

Snow: "Swordsman roger…I have visual confirmation of Wardog Squadron."

Wardog Squadron just entered port's airspace. Blaze: "We will take them down one by one, Edge, Chooper, tight formation and do not separate."

Nagase & Davenport: "Understood."

Blaze makes an agile turn and descends, right after two A-6E who just flew by from left to right. He immediately launches missiles at them, A-6E has better armor-plating than regular carrier-based aircraft, yet not enough to stand multiple air-to-air missiles, they burst into fireballs. Another A-6E, being chased by a friendly squadron's Super Tomcat, falls into Blaze's attack scope. A-6E's passive radar receives signal of an incoming AIM-7M, as well as the signal of a F-14D's active radar, it takes evasive actions, but as an attacker, it is designed to carry out missions under air superiority, thus means lack of maneuverability against hostile aircrafts. Knowing this, the pilot ejects before his plane is blown up.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Good shot Wardog Leader. More bandits coming from bearing 270, closing to the cross-sea bridge. They are flying low, I can't make them clear."

Blaze: "Wardog Squadron moving to intercept. Edge, Chopper, follow me."

The triangle formation passes through the gigantic bridge right beneath it, between two of its piers. They immediately encounter a flight of A-7E Corsair II. Both sides pass through each other's formation, and Wardog Squadron turns after A-7Es.

A-7E formation attempts to initiate a strike run on Osean ships—especially that large-profile aircraft carrier, meanwhile avoids their defense firepower grid by flying very low, but Blaze and his wingmen won't grant them this privilege. Each of them locks on different targets and fires AIM-120D, reduce most of enemy attacker's number by first salvo. Remaining ones are downed by AIM-9M since they are within short-range missile's reach.

"This is port command, all vessels leave port immediately. Ships nearest to the exit first!" The HQ of Port Saint Hewlett issues this expediency. After all, those ships cannot deploy formation properly in the constrained harbor, although it's dangerous as well in open water, at least they can take a chance to survive.

Osean ships begin to wriggle to cross-sea bridge—the boundary divides port and open sea. AWACS Thunderhead: "Hostile reinforcements at bearing 270! Coming in fast!"

Three groups of Yuktobanian aircrafts, one is fighters, two are attackers, approaching in different altitude. They are receiving orders from HQ: "A flight, sink enemy ships, B flight, bomb facilities, C flight, drag their fighters and shoot them down."

Yuktobanian pilots: "Roger, begin attack."

Blaze fires an AIM-7M to an A-6E, good kill, and pulls up, right aims on another A-6E's ventral sector, since this angle is not very suitable for missile targeting, he fires guns to destroy it. During this time more bandits passing by to Osean fleet, Blaze immediately gives chase with Nagase and Davenport, hoping can shoot down as many as he can before enemy planes fire upon friendly ships.

"Enemy anti-ship missile! Barricade fire! Barricade fire!"

"Damage control! We took a direct hit dead ahead!"

"Quick! Get those things reloaded! A ton of enemies are pouring on us!"

"Protect carrier! Shield it by our ship if necessary!"

"…don't worry! Compose formation here… (communication lost due to a direct hit on bridge)" The final transmission from an Osean cruiser.

"No time for lifeboat or liferaft! Jump into water and do anything to keep alive…" A brave captain, after did all he could to put up a fight and save his own destroyer, orders his crew abandon ship, and for himself, stays in bridge to last second.

Wardog Squadron is now locked into a battle against enemy fighters who plan to keep them busy to let attackers slip through. At the same time, the situation in port continues to get worse.

Davenport: "That's a hellish nightmare I will never forget for life…land is smoking, sea is burning, people are dying…an instant death is a mercy, for many are being scotched alive by floating, flaming fuel, fuel from damaged tanks, sunk ships and downed planes…god, someone please stop this madness…" He begins to lose his temper, the only things occupy his mind are aim, fire, dodge, aim, fire, dodge…a crazy but passionate video game.

"Chopper!" Blaze's voice comes through channel. "Y…yes!" He is wakened up by squadron leader's stern tone.

Blaze: "Remember you're a military pilot, don't let your mind disrupted by what's happening down there!"

"Sir! Yes sir!" Suddenly understands something, Davenport feels his mind clearer than anytime before, he quickly adjust himself into a new wave of skirmishes.

Nagase: "What happened to Chopper? Seconds ago he was losing reflection and accuracy, but now he is picking up quickly."

Blaze: "He just gotten over something, don't worry. We still have a battle to win."

"This is Osean Maritime Defense Force 4th Anti-Air Division! We are approaching to cross-sea bridge to form up a defense line!" Dozens of Flakpanzer Gepard, ZSU-23-4 Shilka, S-400 Triumph, M270 retrofitted to capable of anti-air role, drive on bridge and deploy barrages to any hostile aircrafts trying to enter Port Saint Hewlett. Situation is improved considerably, Wardog Squadron and other friendly fighters begin to purge those bandits still resisting inside port airspace. An enemy Flanker-D and an enemy F-14D make an attempt to attack anti-air units from direction of bridge approach, Davenport is after them and gets rid of them both by two AIM-120D: "Oh yeah! The last two is mine!"

AWACS Thunderhead: "Great job! The port airspace is clean, and OFS Kestrel takes no damage at all!"

Captain of Kestrel: "This is Aircraft Carrier Kestrel, our gratitude to all pilots for your efforts of protecting us, now we had built up a provisional battle fleet to transit to safer waters, please provide aerial coverage during the process."

Snow: "No problem captain, this is our ship."

Captain of Kestrel: "Thank you, Captain Snow."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Kestrel's battle group is approaching bridge…passing bridge…now they are in open water! Beware enemies are still out there, they will mount another attack!"

Davenport: "We won't let them succeed, right? Blaze?"

Before Blaze can answer, AWACS Thunderhead speaks: "Multiple contacts…not good! They're A-10A covered by Su-33! Su-33 had launched AGM-84D!"

Luckily AGM-84D is a subsonic missile after all, a fleet of point defense systems can intercept them without much difficulties. Blaze charges directly to a Su-33, they launch missiles to each other at the same time, thinks fast and acts even faster, Blaze performs a barrel roll and releases flares, deflects enemy's R-74EM, while his AIM-9M achieves a good kill, then he immediately turns around to pursuit fly-by bandits, first launches salvos of AIM-120D, then comes close to knock out remaining ones. He is after an A-10A who is on final attack run, the attacker sways left and right, but no use. Pilot of A-10A releases flares when Blaze fires AIM-9Ms to him, but then is hit by two AIM-7Ms and is blown into sea.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Good shot Wardog Leader! And others are doing well too. We can win this battle though if we keep up like this!"

Blaze: "Thunderhead, can you read any enemy large vessels like carriers?"

AWACS Thunderhead: "Negative. What do you mean?"

Blaze: "Did you see those attackers? They cannot go that far on their own, it must be some launching platforms nearby, maybe an enemy fleet battle group."

AWACS Thunderhead: "…damn…I should know it at the first place…switch to long range radar…increase scanning power…here they are! They must have undergone some electronic low observable retrofitting to sneak through our early warning system! Transmitting coordinates…"

Blaze: "Three light-duty carriers and a handful of destroyers…shouldn't be too hard if…" He opens a channel to OFS Kestrel: "Wardog Leader to Kestrel, can you scramble an attacker squadron with heavy air-to-ground, especially anti-ship weaponry?"

Captain of Kestrel: "What plan do you have, Wardog Leader?"

Blaze: "An old Chinese saying 'remove the firewood beneath the kettle to pacify boiling water'."

Meanwhile, Yuktobanian fleet: "They break out from port after all, and they have several good pilots in their rank. No matter, deploy blockade formation, don't let anything escape."

Blaze: "Wardog Squadron will cover attackers to plow enemy fleet. Edge, Chopper, follow me."

Nagase: "Roger."

Davenport: "I'm with you, Blaze."

A moment later, where the Yuktobanian blockade is deployed now is a scene of floating, burning wreckage. Several Osean A-10A Thunderbolt II, covered by Wardog Squadron just launched a dozen of AGM-65G to the last remaining enemy ship.

Davenport: "Oh yeah! That's it baby!"

Suddenly a dragon of flame bursts out from the ship just before it is blown into pieces, to the direction of Osean fleet.

Davenport: "Did it launch something?"

AWACS Thunderhead: "Oh no! It is a 3M-54E Sizzler and it's coming to Kestrel!"

Blaze immediately hits on throttle and goes after the missile.

Snow: "What…don't tell me…"

Nagase: "Blaze! What are you doing?! It's no use!"

Davenport: "Stop! You idiot!"

AWACS Thunderhead: "Wardog Leader! Leave it to the fleet! You can't shoot it down!"

Blaze: "Someone gotta do this…" He fixes his stare at the missile, holds his Super Tomcat as stable as he can for he is flying sea-skimming just like the missile does.

Defense emplacements on Kestrel lay out a barrage to stop Sizzler, but Sizzler is flying in supersonic speed and is maneuvering radically, not a single slug can make an actual hit. Blaze can hardly keep up the pace as well as keep himself in track, but he is still struggling to catch up and get a clear shot.

Captain of Kestrel orders all defense cease fire. All personnel: "Captain! Why?!"

Captain of Kestrel: "Trust me, and trust him."

"A little more…just a little more…gotcha!" A current of impulsion generated from something called "instinct", not passing through brain, directly influences on Blaze's fingers. He fires, a cluster of 20mm SAPHEI slugs are nailed right into Sizzler's rear nozzle, resulting it to explode harmlessly hundreds meters away from carrier's side.

Kestrel's crew—except the captain, is overexcited—as they see the missile is destroyed—and is promptly over-terrorized—as they witness an F-14D Super Tomcat dashes directly to them with supersonic speed. At the blink second, Blaze—under control of instinct, pulls up, overflies Kestrel—almost grazes on its hull. Everyone onboard the carrier—except the captain, drops themselves on floor with heads covered.

Snow: "…it is me, or everyone, finds it's too predictable?"

Davenport: "Wow! Speak of cutting it close…"

Nagese: "Blaze…you magnificent psycho…"

AWACS Thunderhead: "I don't know should I hug him or choke him."

Captain of Kestrel communicates Blaze with a composed tone: "Thank you, kid."

"One, two, three…one, two, three…one, two, three plane. Count'em up man, we're all back safe." When flying past Port Saint Hewlett, which is now empty of any operational friendly ships and hostile aircrafts, again, Davenport cannot cover his excitement: "I can't wait to tell the captain once they plunk him outta the ocean!"

Nagase: "Blaze…I want to say…um…you're very brave and…powerful when chasing and shooting down that Sizzler."

Blaze: "Someone has to do this. Sorry to make you worry, actually I'm surprised after recollecting what I had done. I don't know why I was not scared when doing that and how I could success."

Davenport: "You're today's hero Blaze. Captain of Kestrel must give you a one-ton-weight medal for saving his ship. And our captain must be very proud of you after hearing this."

Blaze: "Today everyone is hero. Let's go home."

Davenport: "Yeah, I'm starving and thirsty as desert."

But after touch down at Sand Island, they are told that Captain Bartlett was not found. When the rescue chopper arrived, only a discarded parachute was there. A marine team landed on the enemy intelligent vessel floating not very distant, only found it had been deserted completely and all devices and equipments onboard were smashed by its crew. The only thing could be made sure is the ship is Yuktobanian-origin.

Sand Island Air Force Base is used to be a place of exile from the rest of the world, but now it is the first line of defense against enemy. As the pilots of Wardog Squadron replenishing themselves with food and drink, military hardware and personnel from mainland begin to roll in. Blaze, by his exceptional performance of previous sortie, is officially appointed as new squadron leader and is promoted to first lieutenant also receives a Medal of Gold Anchor.


	6. Operation: First Flight

_**Operation: First Flight**_

Sand Island Air Force Base

September 27th 2010, 19:27

"Calibrate connector…steady…steady…" Although sun is coming down, but the base is still a scene of busyness, engineers are setting up new, additional defense structures for possible further attacks.

Crew Quarters

This room is shared by Blaze and Davenport, but now only Blaze is in. He had finished his dinner—stirred fry made by rice, chicken, mushroom, onion, pepper and extra BBQ sauce, plus a bottle of Coca-Cola—Blaze named this configuration as "default meal" and said "I can eat this for twenty years". As the supper is being digested, the pilot is up to something else: He is examining a few photos taken by onboard cameras of his F-14D during previous operation, photos of Yuktobanian fleet. Different from ordinary naval vessels, ships in photos have large, specialized ECM/ESM panels installed on both larboard and starboard side, which render them very low observable on radar and infrared.

A trace of uneasy flashes through his mind, Blaze takes out a folder from his orderly organized cabinet, opens it. Inside there is a document titled "**Internal File No. XXXXXX**", the contents are about some experiments conducted by Osean Maritime Defense Force retrofitting ships to be electronic low observable several months ago, by installing ECM/ESM panels on broadsides. Blaze finds that the panels on Yuktobanian vessels are identical to the ones used by Osean vessels, it's obvious something fishy out there.

As Blaze put everything back to their places and plans to take a good bath, Davenport comes back from mess hall. He turns on his combined speaker cabinet and begins to play one of his favorite rock-and-roll track "Blurry", he is enjoying himself on sofa: "Man! I love this song, it calms me down. I'm gonna sleep well tonight!"

Blaze: "I recommended Handel, Bach, Vivaldi, Pachelbel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Smetana, Brahms, Liszt, Chopin, Schubert, Tschaikovsky, Grieg, Saint-Saëns…a galaxy of great music to you…why don't you ever listen to me?" He is not upset, yet neither happy.

Davenport: "Classical music is a little too much, I'll just stick to rock-and-roll for a long time." He sits up: "When I was on the way back to here, I saw Fatty His Highness asks everyone with a glum face."

"(imitating Commander Orson Perrault's tone, expression and actions) 'Was there anything suspicious about Captain Bartlett's behaviour recently?' He asks anyone who runs into him the same question. That's cruel! Fatty makes us having hallucinations of Yukes in our soup." Davenport is making fun of base commander, "I think he is the most suspicious one from beginning to end…"

An unpleasant noisy pattern of sound howls, Blaze rushes out of the door like a triggered bullet.

"An air raid?! C'mon! How many times they attempt to disrupt our peaceful daily life?! That's cruel!" Davenport collapses on sofa, acting like being exhausted, for one second, then jumps up and follows Blaze.

Corridor is filled with twinkling light of scarlet, a voice is being repeated again and again with air raid alarm: "Yuktobanian squadrons approaching, all personnel go to combat posts, Yuktobanian squadrons approaching, all personnel go to combat posts…"

In overground hangar, Blaze, Nagase and Davenport are sitting in their own Super Tomcat's cockpit respectively, ground staff is stuffing air-to-air ordnances and fueling. Enemy attacks with F-117A Nighthawks from low altitude, when air defense radars picks up their traces, intruders had reached doorsteps, worse, new stationary defenses are just under initial construction and many new mobile defenses are still non-operational due to operatives are not arrived, Sand Island now is in a big disadvantage.

"Can't it be faster?" Everyone is nervous as they hear roars of explosions and various jet engines, especially Davenport. If there's something explosive hits hangar, it will be nothing more but a cloud of smoke. Like an echo to Davenport, another loud explosion occurs outside.

"You're clear to take off, go go go!" Ground staff packs up equipments as fast as they can, clearing a path for Wardog Squadron to runway. When they move out from hangar, they can see dozens of anti-air vehicles and structures are firing into sky, and get fired upon from sky. Blaze notices enemy F-117As mainly attack any ground targets with anti-air capacities and planes parking on ground.

Control Tower: "Wardog Squadron, take off immediately and gain as much altitude as you can!" All remaining operational anti-air units and structures redirect their firepower to fend enemies from runway, creating a safer surrounding for the taking off planes.

"Captain Bartlett's reserve plane is still in underground hangar." As they accelerate from one end of runway, Nagase reminds others.

Blaze: "Hope they can find someone qualified to pilot it now." As they leave ground, he looks at burning wreckage of aircrafts in apron area: "Seems we're the only ones who successfully get to airborne, hostile main force is not arrived yet, we must shoot down all presenting bandits before the base is dust."

"Are we stick together or break into single?" Davenport asks.

"We're off the standard procedure, engage as you see fit." Blaze had already tallied on a Nighthawk. Although being electronic low observable, but it is bright and clear to F-14D's active radar at a distance that close. Instrument panel release a jingle as on the HUD, the square reticule is overlapped by a rhombus reticule, he immediately launches a AIM-7M. Another downside of F-117A is being an attacker, it is slow and cumbersome, susceptible to fighters, once get locked, it's unlikely to survive. At the blink of missile hit, Blaze turns right, aims on the second F-117A's belly and fires his gun.

Control Tower: "This is bad…we lost all radars…get those things back online quickly! Wardog, reinforcement from mainland still needs 15 minutes to arrive, so you're on your own. It's all right base structures sustain damage, but make sure the main runway remains intact."

"Roger." Blaze is after an F-117A which is diving to base complex. His target is about to drop a bomb, but before that it takes two missiles and crashes into a burning heap of scrap. Nagase and Davenport have their hands full as well, but the number of enemy is rapidly decreasing, the base itself sustains no severe impairment except anti-air defense and radars are down as well as majority of the planes parking on ground were destroyed during initial air strike.

"Bingo!" Davenport flies only a dozen meters behind an enemy and is firing gun, solid slugs shred it into debris. Nagase chases down a bandit only tens of meters over the complex and blasts it.

Suddenly the crew in Control Tower notice something: "Hey! Who's that?!"

An F-14D comes out from an underground hangar and is taxing on the route to main runway. Nagase is the first one in the sky who has an eye on it: "I think its Captain Bartlett's reserve plane, but who is the pilot?"

A young voice, so young that feels like a high-school boy, sounds in radio: "This is Airman First Class Hans Grimm, callsign 'Archer'. I was helping mechanics in hangar, I'm taking off now."

Davenport: "Are you out of your mind?! You're still in replacement pilot training! Can you find any other spare active pilots?"

Grimm: "I don't see any. And I think I should help you, Pops also encourages me to go up."

Nagase: "Be careful Archer, I'll cover you."

Grimm: "Thank you very much."

Blaze: "Edge, Chopper, a change of priority, we're going to cover Archer to take off." He immediately turns to a formation of bandits which is coming to Grimm and shoots them down by a salvo of AIM-120D.

Grimm: "Begin final checking sequence…control systems…okay…"

An F-117A launches a missile to Grimm's plane but misses, then is destroyed by Blaze.

Knowing more planes airborne equals to have more threats, hostiles begin to concentrate their attacks on Grimm—if they can get past Wardog Squdron.

Grimm: "…fuel pressure…no problems…" He dosen't know he is saved again by Nagase, who shoots down a bandit attempted to attack him.

"…engine sounds great…" Davenport turns hard and fires missiles to two enemies, good kills.

Grimm: "…fuel quantity check…full tank…"

Davenport: "C'mon! Just take off already! We can't hold them off forever!"

Nagase: "Easy Chopper. Archer, take off ASAP once you finish checking."

Grimm: "…ejection system okay…this is Archer, control tower and all aircraft, I'm in take off point, engines full power!" The nozzles of his plane squirt flames.

Control Tower: "Come back! Come back!" But then changes attitude: "Don't stop him. Let him go."

Grimm: "I'm airborne and I'm joining Wardog Squadron."

Blaze: "Good, now you're temporally Wardog Four."

Grimm: "Roger captain!"

Davenport: "Archer! Get over here and cover my six!"

Grimm: "Roger! I'm coming!"

Actually Davenport doesn't need to be covered, for F-117A is the only type of enemy presents in this airspace, and F-117A doesn't have any air-to-air capabilities, not to say they are not agile. Even Grimm, who only has a few hours of actual solo flying duration to date, manages to shoot down several. Blaze also notices although not a formal fighter pilot yet, but that boy is quite fast-reflecting and stable while piloting F-14D, he is definitely tougher than he looks.

"I see you managed to make it up. Is your plane all right?" Wolfgang communicates Grimm on radio, people are shouting in background: "Fire team, stop the fire from spreading to our ammo dump!" "Get anything flammable out of there! The ammo too!" "Rescue team! Help out the wounded!" "Everyone still can move help the fire control crew! Use the water in the supply tank to put out the fire!"

Grimm: "I'm fine Pops, thank you very much."

Wolfgang: "Glad to hear that. Looks like keeping them in good shapes had been paid off. I'm going to assist others, you be careful out there, follow captain's instructions."

Grimm: "I will."

Blaze: "Don't you worry Pops, I'll take care of him." He nails the last enemy with an AIM-9M.

"Last target down, sky is clean." Blaze looks at his radar screen and looks around from canopy: "Don't let you guard down yet, I sense it won't over so soon."

"Radars are back online…what is that? Can we make it clear?" Control Tower's voice comes through communication: "Alert! Hostile formation is approaching from west! They come in very low altitude so we cannot match the types, but large-profile singles are mixed among them, presumably to be bombers. Shoot them down before they're above us!"

Several Tu-95s, escorted by fighters, are flying to Sand Island at a very low altitude. You have to admit those Yuktobanian pilots have some guts with them, for example flying such a large, sluggish fuselages at such a low altitude, it really needs some boldness.

Four Tomcats of Wardog Squadron dash to west horizon to intercept new hostile formation.

Nagase: "They even send strategic bombers! Are they planning to erase Sand Island from map?"

Davenport: "Those Yukes really think highly of our island."

"This is Lieutenant Colonel Ford! We're approaching Sand Island from southeast!" Finally, reinforcement from mainland arrives. Well, being late is better than being absent.

Davenport: "If you come a little earlier, you could enjoy the show even participate in it."

Blaze: "Don't mind him Lieutenant Colonel, we're grateful that your squadron come to rescue."

Davenport: "That's cruel! I'm among the ones who made major merits today!"

Blaze: "I know, you're as good as Edge. Lieutenant Colonel, we're going to attack enemy bombers, please keep fighters from us."

Ford: "No problem. Boys, show the Yukes what we've got!"

Yuktobanian formation rises high, and the fighters speed up to enter combat status. But Lieutenant Colonel Ford's squadron engages them, opens a safe channel for Wardog Squadron to intercept bombers.

Blaze attacks the closest bomber head-on, he launches six AIM-120Ds in a salvo, the Tu-95 goes down with engulfed in flames. He flies through bomber formation, takes a tight chandelle turn, catches up behind them, where is most suitable of pursuit and destroy.

Other three pilots appear beside Blaze. "Aim on their engines, attack with AIM-120D or AIM-7M, don't get into range of tail turrets." Tu-95 has a dual-machinegun turret mounted to its tail, if a careless fighter follows too close, it can be insidious and deadly.

"I got one! I got one!" Grimm can't help to exclaim in excitement, although bombers like Tu-95 are easy targets, but shooting down such a large bird truly generates some satisfaction. Blaze blows another bomber up, he loosens stick, let himself enjoys this micro victory for a few seconds, then turns to next prey.

Only one Tu-95 remaining, Wardog Squadron is confident to destroy it in no time. In fact, they do. Although this one is tough, spamming chaffs and flares continuously to deflect missiles, but it is against four armed-to-the-teeth Tomcats, the outcome is too obvious.

"Control tower to all aircraft. All hostiles, fighters and bombers, are confirmed destroyed. Thanks for protecting our base everyone! We will hold a welcome party for you once you touch down!"

Blaze: "Better save me some stirred fries."

Davenport: "Hugh! Today is intense." Tries to wipe off sweat from forehead, but unable to do so due to the helmet: "I won't be able to join another fight if they come again before sunrise."

Nagase: "Chopper, please not to mention that possibility."

Davenport: "Just kidding, Yukes are not terminators, they need to eat and sleep too. I bet they won't be able to do anything more in 24 hours."

Grimm: "Was my flying all right captain?"

Blaze: "Not only flying, fighting included. Would you like to formally stay in Wardog Squadron as Number Four?"

Grimm: "Me? Formal Wardog Four? Sir, I'm absolutely honored…"

Blaze: "You needn't to sir me, I'm probably only one year, maybe just a few months older than you. Just refer me as 'captain' or use my callsign will be fine."

Grimm: "Yes sir…um...I mean, captain."

Blaze shakes his head with a slight smile, then opens a channel to Ford: "Lieutenant Colonel, thank you for your squadron's assistance, my team had been exhausted, please provide guarding perimeter while we're landing."

Ford: "You got it, we're taking over, enjoy your deserved credits, Wardog Squadron."

Blaze: "Thank you." He aligns to runway and puts down landing gears.


	7. Operation: Silver Bridge

_**Operation:**_ _**Silver Bridge**_

Eaglin Straits

Longitude: 192 Degree 54 Minute 00 Second East

Latitude: 16 Degree 11 Minute 36 Second North

September 30th 2010, 16:00

Grimm: "Do we just leave like this, captain?" He is trying his best to refrain anger.

Blaze: "There's nothing more we can do. Wardog Squadron, this mission is over, RTB." He avoids using the vocabulary "accomplished" for there is no way to describe it as "accomplished".

It should be the easiest mission in the world—escorting Third Fleet to retreat to inland sea via Eaglin Straits for safety. Osean Defense Forces Central Command concluded that Union of Yuktobanian Republics made a huge mistake during its multiple blitzes—that is, all Osean heavy-duty aircraft carriers are left unharmed. To assemble a force for counterstrike, those aircraft carriers must be relocated to inland sea alone with dozens of other naval vessels, where they will be theoretically beyond reach of further blitzes.

Daylight, clear weather, plus so many ships covering each other and so many aircrafts patrolling sky, it is supposed to be a smooth ride. But nobody expects an enemy advanced nuclear-powered attack submarine, Scinfaxi, sneaked so deep into Osean territorial waters, and launched a barrage of Short-Range Ballistic Missiles, armed with Burst Warheads, which is a type of Burst Weapony. Burst Weaponry is the umbrella name for a group of special ordnances which neither can be categorized as conventional weapon nor to be classified as weapons of mass destruction. Although come in different sizes and shapes, the basic principles are same: Each of the ordnances is consisted by a kind exotic inflammable substance, a super-active combustion adjuvant, and some sort of super-fast-acting catalyst. After being launched and descends to low-enough altitude, these three chemical mix together and triggers an excessively vigorous reaction, produce tremendous amount of heat, even capable of "plasmatizing" surrounding atmosphere, creating huge, white-hot fireballs with shockwaves, destroy anything caught in blasts. Therefore, under attack from such a terrorizing weapon, 80% of the ships were decimated, including aircraft carrier OFS Vulture and OFS Buzzard, only OFS Kestrel and a handful of other vessels survived without a scratch. These casualties are of course minus the aircrafts lost during Burst Missile attack. Frustration.

Wardog Squadron receives a new order from AWACS Thunderhead, they are not coming back to Sand Island, instead flies to far northeast.

The dominant vegetative cover gradually changes from tropical to subtropical, then to warm temperate, middle temperate, finally cold temperate, which is a clear indication that Wardog Squadron has entered the state of North Osea. Despite the northern name, North Osea is not the northernmost state of Osean Federation, actually, it was once called "South Belka" and was the territory of Principality of Belka, but because the Belkan War, Osea annexed it into its own governing. Although most of local population has little comment about the change of authority, but still some elders will put a scowl on face and claim that this is South Belka if you refer to it by North Osea in front of them.

When time reaches 20:07, Wardog Squadron arrives at their destination, Heierlark Air Force Base, formerly a base belonged to Principality of Belka but later annexed along with South Belka by Osea, now it serves as one of the major boot camps to trainee pilots of Osean Air Defense Force. Beyond the base, forward for less than one hundred kilometers, is the borderline divides North Osea and North Belka, the remaining territory of Principality of Belka. A borderline marked by craters of nuclear explosions, as if the permanent scars of humanity's crime. Fifteen years ago, on June 6th 1995, to stop advancing Allied Force from entering their ancestral holy land, Belkan detonated seven tactical nuclear warheads on the entrances to northern valleys. Seven Belkan cities disappeared, leaving only craters and desolate surface, even now the regions near ground zero are still highly radioactive. Witnessing such a tragedy unfolded before their eyes, Allied Nations stopped pushing forward, and the seven craters became landmarks of borderline.

Since located in ex-Belkan territory, Heierlark Air Force Base is filled with Belkan styles. After touching down, four pilots are greeted by burning fireplaces, sizzling roasts, boiling soups and a company of junior cadets. You have to admit the efficiency of modern mediae, the stories of Wardog Squadron's actions had already been widely spread throughout army, and the crew is regarded as war heroes, even is given the title "Four Wings of Sand Island". An old Chinese saying states that one actual combat equals ten years of training, now the Four Wings of Sand Island had become the most experienced and heroic pilots of entire war, even a couple of months ago they were mere trainees themselves.

Although weather outside is howling wind and freezing snowfall, atmosphere inside the base complex is at the other end of thermometer. Facing so many trainees eager to hear their saga, Davenport goes overzealous and tells about Wardog Squadron's stories to them in the manner of how C3PO tells about stories of Galactic Civil War to Ewoks. While the C3PO is rattling to the Evoks with exaggerative gestures, Luke, Han Solo and Princess Leia are having different reflections: Nagase is trying her best not to smile, while Grimm's expression is "C'mon! I'm not that great…", and as for Blaze, he is swallowing stirred fry and Coca-Cola like lion and whale—for he feels uneasy when being noticed and praised by so many people.

Grimm: "Lieutenant Nagase, what's wrong with captain? He is eating and drinking since a while ago."

Nagase: "Well Grimm, Blaze's ancestors were from China, you know generally Chinese is not very used to be noticed and eulogized by large-sized crowd."

Grimm: "Do you know more about captain? Like where he comes from, did he get married or not? Why he joins armed service?"

Nagase: "Blaze doesn't speak too much daily. Say, Chopper, you share same room with Blaze, can you provide more information about him?"

Davenport smiles sheepishly: "Don't think so, as far as I know, he is a person so solemn even kinda…how to say? Rigid I think. C'mon, even a T-800 cannot be like that. Hey, maybe he IS a T-800 secretly built by government, who knows?"

Nagase: "No trivia from daily observation? Like…girlfriend or fiancée's letter?"

Davenport scratches head: "Well…I don't think a girl will fall into his kind, at least I didn't see any rings and girls' photos he processes. And I never saw he gets a letter, a phone call, an internet transmission from off-island or send any to off-island, maybe he was deliberately hiding them, who knows?"

Next morning, the weather is cleansed. Dozens of trainee pilots, led by Wardog Squadron, takes off from Heierlark Air Force Base, heading to Sand Island. However it is not a direct journey, every time they pass an airbase, they touch down and "unload" a part of trainees to garrison there, then refuel and take off again.

The last stop to the terminus of this trip is MacNealy Air Force Base. However, Wardog Squadron receives a special order after landing, an order from president himself.

Due to the threat posed by Yuktobanian sub-launched Burst Weaponry and the lack of equal ballistic missile capabilities as a result of the previous full-scale disarmament, President of Osean Federation, Vincent Harling issues a presidential decree, to use the mobile spacecraft Arkbird, equipped with chemical gas tactical laser system in the war effort, and Wardog Squadron will provide protection to Basset Space Center, where an unmanned SSTO craft carrying the laser weaponry will be launched to Arkbird.

To carry out such an important mission, pilots of Wardog Squadron are permitted to access medium-tier aircraft. The commander of MacNealy Air Force Base assigned other active pilots to lead remaining trainees fly to Sand Island.

Basset Space Center

Longitude: 171 Degree 10 Minute 33 Second East

Latitude: 02 Degree 01 Minute 13 Second South

October 3rd 2010, 12:00

As the largest space center on Planet Strangereal, the most breathtaking signature of this spaceport is not the forest of towers for off-planet launching, nor the numerous launch vehicles and space shuttles in store, but that 7.5-mile-long "Silver Bridge", which is a hybrid launching facility of electromagnetic rail acceleration and ramjet propulsion, experimental technologies originated from Strategic Orbital Linear Gun and Stonehenge Turret Network of past. This bridge is a collaborative achievement of Osea and Yuktobania, and President Harling, the peace-loving head of government, paid the bill by surplus funds generated by full-scale disarmament. Such a wondrous fruition of engineering is supposed to be an evidence of international peace and cooperation…not anymore. And the Airbird, a large, maneuverable orbiter soars above vault of heaven, was originally purposed as a space-based platform of anti-satellite and anti-ballistic missile weaponry during eighties of last century, especially to counter the rapidly evolving sub-launched ballistic missiles of Yuktobania. But later, as the relationship with Yuktobania went much friendlier, it was re-purposed as a temporary space station and the first step to construct a permanent international space station, even held a global summit onboard at some time. After the impact of Ulysses 1994XF04 Asteroid, Airbird was used to cleanse the orbital debris left by that giant rock, and now, the fate has run a full cycle, this elegant white bird is going to do what it originally designed to do—shooting down ballistic missiles launched from Yuktobanian submarines.

"Continue to count down, three minutes to launch." The unmanned SSTO craft with gas chemical laser weaponry onboard is positioned at the lower end of Silver Bridge, ground crew is hurry to prepare sending it off atmosphere, although they wish only if can shoot it into sky immediately, the final pre-launch sequence must be carried out by the book.

"Halt the countdown! Enemy transport inbounds!" An An-225 Mriya invades spaceport's airspace, its rear ramp opens, tanks and IFVs are being airdropped.

Wardog Squadron's four F-15E Strike Eagle speed up to destroy the transport and airborne armored vehicles. A quick work, but more transports are coming in.

"Are they planning to capture the base?" Questioned by Nagase.

"More like to capture the chemical gas laser weaponry." Grimm is smart.

Chopper: "How do they slip through so far? I mean, shouldn't our fleet and other aerial squadrons blocking their way at the far sea?"

"The grand arm reduction had rendered our armies under-numbered and under-equipped, if enemies attack with sufficient number, some of them can penetrate while our forces are occupied and saturated. That's why I never agree with president's disarmament proposition." Says Blaze: "While we're making refrigerators, others are making bombs and are researching better bombs."

"But…President Harling did that for peace." Nagase objects.

"Peace needs force to back up. You can't make peace with a tiger if you're not a lion or elephant." Blaze replies as he shoots down more transports and airborne armored vehicles: "People, those tanks will explode violently upon being destroyed, shoot them afar with missiles and don't get too close to show your bravery."

Soon the sky is free of any hostile aircraft and parachute-attached ground vehicles. Ground crew resumes countdown, only to be interrupted again: "Multiple B-1Bs inbound!"

Davenport: "Now they intend to destroy this base, great, if I can't have it, neither can you."

Like frightened sparrows, B-1Bs briefly show up on the edge of the airspace of Basset Space Center and turns around for fleeing—not before releasing salvos of cruise missiles.

Blaze: "Wardog Leader to Basset Space Center, continue with launch preparation, launch immediately when confirm everything is ready, we'll intercept all incoming hostiles."

"Roger. Get back to pre-launch sequence! All systems, let's go over everything for one last time! Guidance!" "Green." "Navigation!" "Green." "Flight Control!" "Green…"

A bizarre firework show is being preformed several kilometers west from Silver Bridge, Wardog squadron are accurately intercepting cruise missiles by AIM-120Ds and AIM-9Xs.

"…telemetry!" "Green!" "Communications!" "Green!" "Flight Dynamics!" "Green!" "Remote Measurement!" "Green!" "All right ladies and gentlemen, all systems are go! Commence final countdown! 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…ignition!"

Ramjet engines of SSTO craft sprays indigo flames, pushing it forward. Initially slow, but getting faster and faster. Meanwhile, rails installed on Silver Bridge sparks, mighty Lorentz Force provides several times more tremendous acceleration.

"SSTO passing Check Point 1…passing Check Point 2…passing Check Point 3…SSTO in sky!"

As the last cruise missile is down, SSTO craft reaches altitude safe from enemy attack. Entire Basset Space Center goes nuts of applause and cheers.

Hours later, the footage of Arkbird successfully installs the chemical gas tactical laser system delivered by the unmanned SSTO craft is broadcast to entire Osean Federation. Pilots of Wardog Squadron also watched it after back to MacNealy Air Force Base, with different thoughts in each one's mind.

Davenport: "Well, another sortie is done, not easy, but nice."

Grimm: "My! Arkbird is beautiful! It is truly…an artwork…"

Nagase: "I wish the laser cannon won't need to be fired."

Blaze: "…or only need to be fired once."

Nagase turns head and looks at her squad leader, Blaze is emotionless.


	8. Operation: Vanguard

After successfully defend the Basset Space Center and ensure the SSTO craft deliver new chemical gas tactical laser system to Arkbird, Wardog Squadron expects a heroic welcome when head back to Sand Island on the second day. Instead, an upset Commander Orson Perrault ordered them immediately attend briefing room.

Commander: "I really want to say 'congratulations to you heroes', but in fact, I'm not in that mood. Because what is happening really umbrages me."

As commander speaks, screen wall flashes information with audio narration:

"A large fleet of Yuktobanian naval vessels are approaching Sand Island from west, their formation is consisted by amphibious assault carriers, light-duty carriers, destroyers, corvettes and landing crafts. It is obvious they're going to launch a land-and-occupy operation on this island. You are to take off and eliminate enemy fleet in their track."

As the brief briefing ends, Commander Orson gives additional directives: "As the commander of Sand Island Base, I'm ordering every fixed-wing aircraft pilot takes off to inflict maximum damage to enemy ships, regardless combat experience. And all non-combatants are armed too, we will fight for this island to a bitter end!"

In hangar, Blaze is holding a tablet computer to choose aircrafts and ordnances for Wardog Squadron, his squadron.

* * *

**Wardog One "Blaze"**

**F/A-18E Super Hornet**

※ GBU-28

※ Heavy Gunpod × 2

* * *

**Wardog Two "Edge"**

**F/A-18E Super Hornet**

※ AIM-120D

※ AGM-84D

* * *

**Wardog Three "Chopper"**

**F/A-18E Super Hornet**

※ AIM-120D

※ AGM-84D

* * *

**Wardog Four "Archer"**

**F/A-18E Super Hornet**

※ AIM-120D

※ AGM-84D

* * *

Davenport: "We're not going to pilot F-15E in this mission?"

Blaze: "If you want, I have no objections."

Davenport: "I'm fine with Super Hornet. And I always fall into indecision when choosing a bird to ride myself. So I leave choice to you."

Blaze: "Good, saddle up." Mans his plane.

Control Tower: "Are you launching with this configuration?"

Blaze: "Affirmative."

Control Tower: "Wardog, launch."

Ceres Ocean

Longitude: 144 Degree 32 Minute 16 Second East

Latitude: 8 Degree 10 Minute 19 Second North

October 4th 2010, 10:07

AWACS Thunderhead: "This is AWACS Thunderhead. All units listen carefully, Yuktobanian fleets had separated into two groups. One is flanking to north, seems intend to avoid our spearhead and attack Sand Island from side, another group is coming right to you. Commander Orson had redirected a few combat units remaining at base to fight flanking enemies, you just concentrate on targets currently coming to you."

Davenport: "Ah, I missed that sweet voice. Say, you get that from your mama's side of the family?"

AWACS Thunderhead: "Cut the chatter! First wave at bearing 280 degrees, mainly hovercrafts, you're clear to engage."

Hovercrafts are not worthy for any GBU-28s or AGM-84Ds, Wardog Squadron skims near surface and picks them up by AIM-9M. It seems nothing difficult.

Nagase: "It's too dangerous to send out those rookies, they're not ready yet."

Davenport: "I'm with you on that, those kids have got their hands full just keeping themselves from crashing, much less to combat. You agree? Blaze?"

Blaze: "They will enter actual combat sooner or later. Just hope they can survive today."

Davenport: "So we'd better leave some easy targets for them and take on hard targets ourselves."

One rookie pilot is on the line: "Excuse me captain, do you ever get scared in actions?"

Blaze: "No. Because scary only makes you get shot down more quickly. So stay calm and stay sharp."

Rookie: "Sorry captain, I don't mean to panic, just…"

Blaze: "That's all right. Do want you learned in training. You'll be fine."

Rookie: "Thank you captain, out."

It is a mop-up battle, defenseless hovercrafts are cleansed in a few minutes. AWACS Thunderhead: "Attention all units! You're going to meet large enemy ships, they're launching helicopters, Sea Harriers and other fighters!"

Blaze: "Their tactic is strange…why don't they just destroy us by sending in fighters at first place then let hovercrafts advance without hamper? Those hovercrafts are sitting ducks without air support…" He talks in mind: "Enemies may have a secret plot on this."

Nagase, Davenport and Grimm dashes into engagement with Yuktobanian aerial vehicles for they equipped with AIM-120D, aerial vehicles are most vulnerable when parking or taking off/landing, even for an air-superiority fighter this rule also applies. Only a few fighters manage to slip through salvos of air-to-air missiles and gains altitude. Meanwhile, Wardog Squadron also leads rookies to sink those ships.

The most eye-opening scene is how Blaze cracks vessels. Rather than drops laser-guided GBU-28s afar and handover the rest to bombs themselves, instead he flies in yo-yo's pattern resembles a dive-bomber of War World II Era on Planet Earth, but apparently much wilder. Dives almost vertically from altitude, Blaze pushes on throttles during the process, throws himself to targeted ships like a rocket-propelled meteorite, but Blaze never intends to use himself as a bomb, just a couple of seconds before making contact with target, he releases two GBU-28s and pulls up at same blink, presses his F/A-18E Super Hornet's performance capabilities to limit. GBU-28 is designed to be a high-penetration munition capable of breaking through six meters of reinforced concrete, now accompanied with Blaze's velocity, they plummet into enemy ships with magnified destructive power, some of the smaller ships even are fractured from middle directly. Moreover, most of the modern ship-based anti-air defenses are not designed to fire vertically, much to Yuktobanian's dismay.

Yuktobanian naval personnel are shouting in communication channels as their ships are getting pulverized: "Shoot that bastard down!" "We can't! Don't have enough elevation angle!" "Then get him by fighters!" "Can't! He's got anti-air cover!"… Not only destroying ships, Blaze also successfully draws attention of enemy air units, and when enemy air units attempt to attack him, Nagase, Davenport, Grimm and rookies fire missiles to them.

The battle seems going well for Osea, but they don't know almost one hundred nautical miles away, in the depth of ocean, enemies just about to unfold their next phase of plan: "The bait had been bit." "Good, now let's begin."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Warning! Enemy sub-launched SRBM detected!"

Grimm: "What!? Don't they have sense of propriety?"

Blaze: "Where is it heading? Do you get the trajectory?"

AWACS Thunderhead: "On no! It's a Burst Missile and heading to your way! Get out from there!"

Nagase: "Get out of there! Grimm! You rookies too!"

Davenport: "Climb! Climb! Climb! Everyone climb above 5000 feet!"

Nagase: "Rookies you hear me? You have to climb!"

Davenport: "Pull up everyone! Get altitude over 5000 feet or you'll all be killed!"

AWACS Thunderhead: "Burst Missile had entered terminal trajectory, get above 5000 feet and stand by!"

Another voice come through communication: "This is Sand Island! Intense fire exchange off the coast! Enemies are attempting landing!"

Blaze: "We're all tricked, enemy lured us out and to eliminate us by Burst Missiles, leaving the base vulnerable. They use such a large group of units as bait!"

All aircrafts—Osean and Yuktobanian, escape to higher than 5000 feet, where they are safe from imminent attack of Burst Missile. They pause the fighting against each other and waiting for the spectacular explosions at low altitude, which will decimate remaining Yuktobanian ships in the scene.

Yuktobanian pilots: "I can't believe they use us as living sacrifice! Damn high command!" The similar sentence is also said by Osean pilots, in form of: "I can't believe they want to sacrifice so many men and hardware as bait! What is their high command thinking?!"

AWACS Thunderhead: "Wait…what is this?! Command override from external…'Datalink to A-Sat targeting system…' and it is counting down on it own! 9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…"

When count down reaches "0", a continuous, bright-pink-colored laser beam cleaves sky downwards like a mighty sword, right pierces into ocean.

Grimm: "The sky just lit up!"

AWACS Thunderhead: "Burst Missile is destroyed mid-air! Whose doing?"

Nagese: "It's that Arkbird?"

AWACS Thunderhead: "Burst Missile is intercepted by a laser beam fired from orbit. It's the Arkbird! I repeat, we've got the Arkbird! All units continue to engage enemy!"

Arkbird: "Arkbird to all friendlies! We'll provide ABM support, but you pilots still need to be careful."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Roger. We'll transmit necessary data ASAP. All are counting on you."

Another friendly voice comes in: "This is anti-sub patrol plane Blue Hound, we detected an enemy sub outside mission area, acoustical pattern matches to Scinfaxi. We're pinpointing its position."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Understood, transmit it ASAP, We'll call in depth charges."

Overjoyed Osean pilots, especially rookies, dash into actions again to attack enemies. While Yuktobanian pilots are even more depressed: "Now what?! Going to be decapitated by a lightsaber?!"

Grimm: "Captain, do you think Arkbird will have blue on blues?"

Blaze: "Don't think so. It's exceptionally accurate, at least to ballistic missiles." As he dodges a Super Flanker's missile and in turn, destroys it by his two heavy gunpods.

Blue Hound: "Detect subaqueous ballistic missile launch. We're still tracing Scinfaxi, it is not easy."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Burst Missile in air! Locked on, begin datalink."

Blaze and fellow pilots continue to pound enemies, he fires two AIM-9M, destroys an F/A-18E, then immediately takes a sharp turn, throws two GBU-28s right into a light-duty carrier's bridge, and strafes several helicopters and VTOL crafts of different models.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Arkbird firing laser." Burst Missile is successfully intercepted.

Yuktobanian naval personnel: "Damn it! At this rate we will be all sunk soon and those Osean bastards will still at large! Then they can go back to reinforce Sand Island!"

Blaze pitches up, nails a load of large-caliber slugs into a Su-37 Terminator's engines. Nagase drives a fleeing bandit into Davenport's range, then he finishes it off. Grimm launches AGM-84Ds to more enemy ships. Rookies, energized by their four seniors' performance, also demonstrate above-average efficiency of combat.

Suddenly a bad news from Blue Hound: "Detect multiple acoustical signals of subaqueous ballistic missile launch! Twelve in total!"

AWACS Thunderhead: "They launched all twelve missiles in once! Too many of them! This is a saturation attack!"

Nagase: "C'mon Arkbird! Use your laser! Or our men will be killed!"

Davenport: "Climb kids! Go go go! Survival is first priority!"

Nagase: "Forget those targets! Just climb! Please!"

Arkbird fires laser.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Still have six missiles inbound! Entering terminal trajectory…10…9…8…7…6…"

All planes are escaping to altitude above 5000 feet.

AWACS Thunderhead: "…5…4…3…2…detonating…now!"

From the high altitude, everyone witness six bright stars emerge from nothingness down below, in a blink second, hundreds of dazzling twinkles fill the space between surface to 5000 feet height, and rapidly expand into huge white-colored fireballs. A few seconds later, shockwave arrives with deafening sound of serial super-violent explosions.

For the ships and pilots who didn't climb to safety in time, things are not funny. They just saw thousands tons of molten white-hot lead pouring down, and this is the last thing they can see.

Radio is full of panic and desperation: "The eject handle's stuck!" "Wings damaged! Losing altitude!" "No! We're all gonna die!"…

Grimm: "They're all falling!"

AWACS Thunderhead: "…dammit…three squadrons are shot down in an instant…we only have less than 30% of combat capability now."

More troubles are coming in: "This is Sand Island! Enemy attack intensified! They're approaching coastline! Reinforce now!"

Blaze: "Yuktobanian ships had been all sunk by their own missiles, and all bandits are destroyed with them, we're back to help the base out."

As Wardog Squadron leads remaining rookies back, Blue Hound speaks: "This is Blue Hound, transmitting accurate position of Scinfaxi."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Data received. Scrambling anti-sub bomber assets…"

Sand Island: "Shoot shoot! Don't falter! This is Sand Island! We're arming YAGR Jet-VTOL with depth charges… Alright! Go as fast as you can!"

Nagase: "They won't arrive in time, if enemy aim Burst Missile to Sand Island as final solution, it's all over."

Arkbird: "Arkbird request data of Scinfaxi's position."

AWACS Thunderhead: "What are you planning to do?"

Arkbird: "We're thinking of something."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Stand by, transmitting."

Arkbird: "Data received, countdown to firing…5…4…3…2…"

A laser beam, as bright as sun, is shot directly into ocean.

Blue Hound: "Explosions in water…Scinfaxi is surfacing, Arkbird must have damaged its main ballast tanks or other vital sections for submerging."

AWACS Thunderhead: "All right! When it surfaces, concentrate all firepower to get rid of it!"

Arkbird: "We increased output of chemical gas laser cannon to shoot into sea, now we need extensive time to cool down. Sorry we cannot fire again in a few minutes."

Blue Hound: "It's coming out from water…now you can see it from radar."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Wardog Squadron, hurry and get Scinfaxi's surfacing point to destroy it! Other pilots follow them!"

Blaze: "Roger!" Turns around to designated coordinates.

Sand Island: "W…what…? Enemies are retreating! They must go to reinforce the damaged Scinfaxi! Pursuit them to buy more time for our fighters."

Almost one hundred nautical miles away, far off the northwest of mission area's border. An enormous shadow is floating on surface. This engineering feat looks like a metallic leviathan from science fiction, or an ancient aquatic demon from some forgotten mythology. Even an Akula-Class (Typhoon-Class) submarine is easily dwarfed to a real dwarf.

Nagase: "Got visual confirmation of Scinfaxi…it's huge…no, huge is too inferior to describe its scale!"

AWACS Thunderhead: "Looks it's unable to submerge, and by some blind luck, Arkbird also damaged all of its twelve ballistic missile launching ports! Now it's our chance, throw everything explosive to it!"

"Take these you abnormality!" Grimm launches two AGM-84Ds to Scinfaxi, but suddenly super-dense anti-air slugs are pouring out from dozens of emplacements on its hull, two AGM-84Ds never reach targets.

Davenport: "Its AA batteries are strong as a fleet! Damn Yukes!"

Not only anti-air firepower, several binocular-shaped UAVs are launched from submarine, those UAVs have air-to-air combat abilities, so the term "UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle)" is more suitable. The two "lens cone" are engines, the sector between engines are rigged with armaments and other vital equipments. UCAVs quickly break into dogfight against Wardog Squadron.

Blaze takes a high-g turn, aims an UAV, fires a missile to destroy it, them promptly aims on another one, but Nagase also targets on it and fires before Blaze do. Soon all UCAVs are dispatched. However, Scinfaxi is still there. Although many friendly aircrafts arrive and initiate multiple attempts to attack it, all missiles are intercepted by its crazily dense anti-air defense, some planes try to get close to use bombs or rockets, they are ripped apart almost immediately at the blink of entering Scinfaxi's firing range.

AWACS Thunderhead: "This is no good! Scinfaxi is moving to west! It's escaping! We can't afford it gets a chance to be repaired and attack us with Burst Missiles again! All aircrafts weave through its guns and attack it!"

Davenport: "Oh, yeah, just weave through its guns? What are you, nuts?"

A friendly Su-37 attempts to drop a BLU-96 from high altitude to Scinfaxi but is hit by several SAM and explodes. Another friendly Sea Harrier FA.2 who plans to go in by low altitude to attack by rocket hive-pods, suffers same fate by being hit by hailstone of large-caliber bullets, of course none of their weapons can reach Scinfaxi.

Grimm: "Such a monstrous defense…only Arkbird's laser can get through…"

Blaze: "Wardog Leader to Thunderhead, order all planes attack Scinfaxi from all directions simultaneously, overpower its firepower grid by saturation attack."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Understood! All planes, follow Wardog One's conducting, prepare to launch omni-directional saturation attack on Scinfaxi! If one wave is not enough, attack with multiple waves!"

Blaze: "Attack begins…now!" All aircrafts, positioned in every direction, charges to Scinfaxi in different altitude, unleash salvos of missiles, bombs and rockets to it, meanwhile deploy chaffs and flares to disturb its radar homing and infrared homing weaponry. The first wave smashes majority of its defense emplacements, for insurance, Blaze conducts a second wave, completely cripples Scinfaxi's combat capabilities.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Great! It's now merely a floating log! All units weapons free! Finish it off!" But soon everyone figures out this floating log is the most durable floating log human ever built, no matter take how many missiles, bombs, rockets and other sorts of explosives, Scinfaxi refuses to sink, even no visible scratches can be found on its hull.

Davenport: "How can it still stay afloat?! It IS a monster!"

Arkbird: "This is Arkbird, cooling procedure complete, firing laser!"

Another laser beam comes down from heaven, right on Scinfaxi's hull.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Direct hit! Opens a massive hole on its bow!"

"That's all I need." Blaze aligns his plane dead ahead to the new-opened hole, accelerates to maximum speed, at the blink second of crash into the hole, he releases two GBU-28s, right stuff inside Scinfaxi and pulls up to safety.

The front sector of Scinfaxi explodes from internal like an over-puffed balloon, then is the sector next to the front sector. This monstrous ironsteel whale breaks into two from its neck and begins its one-ticket submerge, never to surface again.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Yes! Wardog Leader did it! Scinfaxi is destroyed! I repeat! The Scinfaxi IS destroyed! And one more good news! Retreating Yuktobanian forces had been eliminated by pursuing friendly forces from Sand Island, this operation is a momentous victory!"

Davenport: "C'mon, he didn't fire a single slug in this war, but now he is more excited than anyone who'd fired one thousand slugs."

Blaze: "Victory, but with what price?" As he looks over the sea of wreckage on the way back to Sand Island.


	9. Operation: Handful of Hope

_**Operation: Handful of Hope**_

The failure of the attempt of capturing Sand Island, especially the destruction of Scinfaxi during the progress is a ferocious slap on Yuktobanian's face (maybe knock loose several teeth). In the following weeks, Yuktobanian activities near Osean western coasts were dormant. Seems Osean military personnel, including Wardog Squadron, can ease themselves a little, or would they?

Akerson Hill

Longitude: 168 Degree 03 Minute 23 Second East

Latitude: 07 Degree 28 Minute 19 Second North

October 22nd 2010, 16:16

Both Blaze and Nagase are flying in MiG-35 Fulcrum-F, over the plain between northern coastal line and southern undulating hills. Although communication channels are "loudly" open, but there is a de facto radio silence between them, for they don't talk to each other much.

Nagase thinks she just found a fair topic of chatting: "Say, I generated some sympathy to Archer."

Blaze: "Why?"

Nagase: "He teams up with Chopper."

Blaze: "Comprehensible." Then they go speechless again. Nagase thinks: "C'mon Blaze! Can't you say something, anything, about your personal life?"

Meanwhile, 300 miles south of their position, another two Fulcrum-Fs are patrolling sky, and the pilots are none other than Davenport and Grimm.

"…what's called 'concern over the possibilities of infiltrating with small-scaled forces'?! Is that too much for us heroes to ask for a furlough?! Patrol mission patrol mission…do those top brass understand how boring that an aerial patrol can be?! Besides, there are so many observation posts on hills and automated defense structures on the plain, anything doesn't have a friendly ID will be fired upon when get in range, so what's the point of patrolling this region?! To say the least, even if enemies send enough troops and breach the ground defense grid, what can only four aircraft do?! That's cruel! Say, the hills, plain and coastline are pretty enjoyable, how 'bout having a picnic here if we can get a leave? We can bring some good foodstuff with us to here, I mean, real food, not ration cans and makeshift stomach fillers from mess hall…" Davenport is chatting with Grimm, or more precisely, unilaterally dumping his complain.

Being saturated by Davenport's endless one-sided chatter, Grimm is keeping conflicting between sensibility and rationality internally.

Sensibility: "Request termination of Alvin H. Davenport, a.k.a. 'Wardog Three'."

Rationality: "Request denied."

Sensibility: "Request termination of Alvin H. Davenport, a.k.a. 'Wardog Three'."

Rationality: "Request denied."

Sensibility: "I'm jealous of Edge teams up with captain in this sortie."

Rationality: "Me too."

Sensibility: "So shall we terminate Alvin H. Davenport, a.k.a. 'Wardog Three'?"

Rationality: "No."

…

Something, or someone is on radio, first statics, then blurred voice: "…anyone in the vicinity please respond. This is Osean Air Defense Force transport, callsign 'Mother Goose One', anyone in the vicinity please respond."

"Mother Goose One, this is 108th Tactical Fighter Squadron 'Wardog' of Osean Air Defense Force, please state your assignment and current status." Nagase responds back.

"Thank goodness! Finally someone responded!" The voice on channel relieves a lot: "We came back from a top secret mission in neutral country of North Point, but our IFF were damaged during an attack by Yuktobanian aggressors, therefore we cannot pass the defense grid without proper guidance. The communication devices were also malfunctioning, we're unable to contact anyone at long range and medium range." There are several hidden "passageways" can enable a ground vehicle or an aircraft that cannot transmit a valid friendly ID safely slip through without getting fired upon, by maneuvering within the gaps between edges of IFF scanning range, however for a heavy-duty transport, aerial navigation is needed.

"We're a C-5 Galaxy with insignia of Osean Air Defense Force, request assistance from you." Says Mother Goose One.

"No problem. Hold your position until we arrive, keep this channel open." Blaze and Nagase speed up, hurry to meet Mother Goose One: "Chopper, Archer, rendezvous with us ASAP."

"Yeah yeah, we heard that transmission too. Coming now." Davenport's voice.

"Shouldn't we ask for instructions from headquarter?" Nagase concerns.

Blaze: "Negative, don't spread the information until absolutely necessary."

A few minutes later.

Nagase: "Blaze, can you confirm the transport visually?" A lonely C-5 Galaxy transport is flying from north to south, just past coastline. Observe closely, a dozen of bullet holes can be found on its hull, and some sectors on its wings are charred.

"Positive. I'll lead it, you cover its six' o clock." Blaze quickly positions his plane 200 meters front of C-5: "Mother Goose One, this is Wardog One, I'll guide you safely through defense grid, please maintain current speed and altitude."

"With pleasure, Wardog One."

"I'll choose a route which minimizes turns as much as possible, however I still need you to follow closely and keep me in your front."

"Roger, we're counting on you."

The following moment is a highly strained duration, because providing guidance of such an oversized and sluggish flying machine, any mistakes are not tolerable. Not only for guiders, but also for those who're being guided, even a tiny inaccurate maneuver can result in annihilation.

"You're clear to go, good luck." Blaze leads Mother Goose One out of the exit of danger zone. However the transport has further requests: "Never thought skies on our country could be so unfriendly. Wardog Squadron, we appreciate your help, but we may need your continued escort on the way to Oured. Don't worry about your patrol, we can nullify your superior's orders."

"We'd like to provide escort, but our fuel is not on that condition to capital." Blaze glances at fuel gauge, twenty minutes to Point of No Return.

"Can't you call in a refueling craft? Or land on nearest airport to refuel?" Mother Goose One insists Wardog Squadron to join them.

"Refueling plane won't be able to take off from nearest airport even after we land there, considering the time needed for preparation, and that airport is completely off-course to Oured." States by Blaze: "But we might call other squadrons with full tank to escort you." He switches to Nagase: "Edge, check any friendly squadrons nearby."

"There aren't many choices…wait, I got one." Nagase checks on long-range radar map: "Osean Air Defense Force 8492nd Squadron, they're just outside western border of our mission area, but also the closest squadron to us."

"Hail them and state nature of current situation, ask if they can take over." Blaze issues order. One minute later, Nagase reports: "8492nd Squadron said they have sufficient fuel to escort Mother Goose One and are heading here, ETA fifteen minutes."

"Good." Blaze communicates to transport: "Mother Goose One, we had called another squadron to escort you en route to Oured, now hold your position, we'll protect you until they arrive." Pauses for several seconds, Blaze detects some enemy aircraft appear on northern edge of mission area: "Multiple high speed bandits approaching at bearing 355. Specification matches to MiG-31M. Mother Goose One, please remain calm, you're behind defense grid now, accelerate to maximum speed and stay alert." Meanwhile, Davenport and Grimm arrive from south.

Russian language comes through radio, apparently from invading bandits: "Okay, I got the target on my radar."

Another Russian voice: "This time it won't get away!"

"We're picking up their transmission." Says Grimm.

Davenport: "These guys sound as beautiful as Thunderhead. Sweet as rose, I tell ya."

The third voice from Yuktobanian pilots: "They put such a high price on that one, if we take it out, not only receiving medals, each of us will even have our own statues for honour."

"If our intelligence is correct, the cargo onboard has that kind of value." The forth voice.

Nagase is confused: "I'm fluent in Russian, but I don't understand what they're talking about."

Davenport: "This is too obvious. The top secret mission, whatever it is, has a leak all the way."

Blaze: "Mother Goose One, change radio frequency to 136 MHz."

"Roger…switching. Eh…Wardog One, we'll be safe from them behind defense grid, won't we?"

Enemies' conversation gives the answer: "Fellas, this is it. Activate IFF deceiver, let's see if this piece of technology worth that price." Almost in a blink of eye, icons represent bandits twinkle between red and blue for seconds, then unanimously change their color to blue.

Nagase: "I can't believe they can delude our IFF!"

Grimm: "Chopper, still think patrol is pointless?"

Davenport: "Ouch, you got me on this."

"Manually set onboard IFF to ID them as hostile. Chopper, Archer, protect transport. Edge, come with me." Blaze presses his master arm switch, a screen on instrument panel displays the schematics of his fighter, highlighting all available weaponry:

※ GSh-30-1 30mm: 800

※ R-60M: 132

※ R-37: 24

※ R-74EM: 18

MiG-31M Foxhound is a type of high speed and durable interceptor, however, its speed and durability are traded from maneuverability, while MiG-35 Fulcrum-F is relatively more balanced. That means, if a MiG-31M is being tallied by a MiG-35 on twelve o' clock or on six o' clock, it is as good as dead. Four MiG-31Ms in a horizontal formation, right ahead of Blaze and are heading to him, he launches four R-37s, destroys them with one salvo. Two more pass him, and are taken down by Nagase with R-74EMs.

Another two MiG-31Ms come from north, Blaze fires missiles to them, but missed due to they deploy countermeasures. Blaze turns around, bandits split up, but they're too bulky after all. Blaze shoots one down by three R-60Ms, then another is blasted by his gun.

"Kvant Squadron lost their last plane." A Yuktobanian pilot says, however scattered bandits still showing up for every a few seconds, and Blaze continue to wreck more with Nagase by aside. Doesn't Yuktobanian Air Force equip any brains? They are merely throwing more meats to mincing machine.

"This mission can't be carried on like this, all remaining aircraft retreat." Someone, sounds like a squadron leader, orders, looks like they equip some brains after all.

Suddenly an alarm rings in communication channel, it's Mother Goose One: "Captain! Oil pressure gauge is dropping fast!" This voice is different from the one previously on the line, it must be the co-pilot.

Blaze: "Mother Goose One, state nature of your emergency."

"Mechanical faulty. I'll take a look, you take controls." This is the previous voice who communicates with Wardog Squadron, so he is the captain of the transport. But immediately, co-pilot speaks: "Go back to your seat, we're having trouble here…what are you doing?! Put that thing down!"

Gunshots, then noise of heavy objects hitting, seems helluva fight in cockpit.

Blaze: "Mother Goose One? Please respond." No response, and the transport is rapidly losing altitude, after falling for several hundred meters, it stops dropping and slowly regains height.

"This is transport plane…uh… Mother Goose One. Captain and co-pilot are killed by gunshot. But we now have situation under control…sort of." This voice is very familiar, but Blaze can't remember who this voice belongs to promptly.

"What?! Who's shooting? And who's piloting now?" Asks Davenport.

"There's a spy in the crew, he shot captain and co-pilot before we subdue him. Now my secretary Tommy is holding the stick, but none of us are pilot, and I don't think others onboard can fly a plane."

Blaze: "Can you tell me who you are?"

"My name is not convenient to be revealed, I guess you can just call me 'Mr. Cargo'. Uh-oh, seems we're almost empty of fuel."

Blaze: "Mr. Cargo, judging from your transport's condition, you must execute an emergency landing, we'll teach you the techniques, please relay instructions to your secretary."

Mr. Cargo: "Okay. We're counting on you."

Nagase: "First, lower your altitude smoothly, keep the plane level."

Mr. Cargo: "Lowering altitude…complete."

Nagase: "Pull flap level down, it will deploy flaps for deceleration. Can you find flap level? It's short and has a…"

Mr. Cargo: "Flap level? Tommy, that one, pull that one." Flaps on transport extend from its wings.

Another alarm begins. "Um…I think two engines have stopped." Mr. Cargo reports.

Nagase: "Throw emergency switch, it should reboot them and keep them running for a while."

"Emergency switch…good, engines start again."

"Edge, continue with the tutorial, I'll clear a landing zone." Blaze speeds up. Ahead of him is a vast and flat meadow, good enough for an emergency landing—if discount those electro generator windmills. Since those structures cannot be locked by missiles, Blaze cuts them down by precise burst fires.

"Can you see that meadow free of windmills? That's where you to land, align to it and put down landing gears." Instructed by Nagase.

Mr. Cargo: "Okay, let's do it. Are you still there, Ma'am? With the lovely voice, uh, miss…"

"First Lieutenant Kei Nagase, sir. Callsign 'Edge'."

"Ahh, nice name and callsign you've got."

Davenport: "And I'm First Lieutenant Alvin Davenport, callsign 'Chopper'."

"That's a good name and callsign too."

Davenport: "I like you man, you're so sweet."

Grimm: "My name is Hans Grimm, second lieutenant, callsign 'Archer'."

"Already become a second lieutenant this young? Congratulations to you."

Grimm is embarrassed: "Our squad leader is already a captain." He sounds proud.

"Really? I hope our country has more people like you among young generations…all right, we're almost above the meadow, I don't know if we can make it, but still I want to say thank you too you all."

Blaze: "Trust me Mr. Cargo, you'll be fine. Now slowly descend and decelerate, this grass runway is long enough, so don't be hasty, do it little by little."

"Thank you kid. Almost there…almost there…you're doing great Tommy. Those pilots ought to recruit you. Altitude 100 feet, speed 100 miles per hour, we're going in."

Mother Goose One makes contact with grass, gliding, slowing down, finally it stops in a shallow pond which less than one meter deep.

"Mother Goose One, Mr. Cargo, are you all right?" Nagase is calling.

Static, then Mr. Cargo's voice: "…yeah, I'm fine, we're all fine. Actually that was a pretty smooth landing."

Nagase: "Mr. Cargo, may I ask a question?"

"Go ahead."

Nagase's tone is sad: "Arkbird…the symbol of peace and human unity, are you really going to use it to war?"

Mr. Cargo: "I don't want to either, but I have few choices. Thanks to Arkbird, we have a trump card to make them sit beside the negotiation table. That's why I went to North Point."

Nagase: "You mean you held a talk in neutral territory?"

"Communication is vital, and both we and they were willing to make peace to each other."

Nagase's tone now is mixed with relief and joy: "So there's still hope?"

"Right." Says Mr. Cargo: "After return to Oured, I'll going to tell everyone about this."

"Mr. Cargo, please bring back peace for us. I don't want to see any more lives get consumed by war."

"Me neither."

Davenport: "I don't mean to interrupt, but we should go back now, or we'll need emergency landing ourselves." An orange light beside his fuel gauge is flashing, means the fuel reserve is almost reduced to Point of No Return. Actually same phenomenon happens in every cockpit of Wardog Squadron.

"This is 8492nd Squadron of Osean Air Defense Force. We are approaching from west, can you see us?" Several F-15S/MTDs appears on western horizon.

Blaze: "Positive. And you bring a rescue taskforce." There are three unarmed YAGR Jet-VTOL craft mixed in 8492nd Squadron's formation.

"That's correct. You can leave the rest to us."

"8492nd Squadron, take over. Wardog, let's go." Blaze and other three squadron members change headings to nearest airport.

"Sure thing." F-15S/MTDs circle above, YAGR Jet-VTOL craft land near Mother Goose One, a dozen of rifle-wielding individuals get off and enter the transport.

After refueling and heads back to Sand Island, Wardog Squadron hears a good news and a bad news. Good news is the DOD has ordered an immediate full-scare upgrade of IFF, which renders Yuktobanian IFF deceiver completely ineffective in future. Bad news is Arkbird's power generator units were sabotaged by explosives, planted by spies, inside recent supply shipment, although optical telescope still can track that white bird, and no hull breaches are found, but communications are lost, therefore the conditions of its crew and mechanic can no longer be monitored. Once again, the balance of power had tipped toward Yuktobania. As for Mother Goose One, all personnel onboard the transport were rescued by a taskforce came with 8492nd Squadron, seems further information is confidential.


	10. Operation: Footprint

_It is used to be a section about Wardog Squadron gets a one-week furlough and Blaze reunites with his "para-girlfriend" and the girl's maid in Oured, plus how he interacts with them, I even had completed character designs in draft. But I really suck at describing lover relationships, so I cut this section out. However there's something to be made straight: Blaze has a __"para-girlfriend" _and the girl has a maid, they will make brief appearances for once. Anyways, the time of formidable battles has come.  


* * *

_**Operation: Footprint**_

First Downtown Sector of Oured

October 30th 2010, 19:00

"Quick! Take a look of this!" "War! We're going to war!" Crowds are gathering on a vast square, in front of a huge screen installed on the side of a tall building. The screen is live broadcasting an aggressive war-proclamation against Union of Yuktobanian Republics, in the name of President Vincent Harling. However, the one who is exclaiming anti-Yuktobania manifesto on the show, is not the president himself, but is the Vice President Appelrouth.

As vice president continues giving the passionate and agitative speech, audiences are showing different reactions: Excitement, fear, anxiety…however one thing is for sure: Total war is inevitable.

Mission Briefing Room, Sand Island Air Force Base

November 1st 2010, 10:30

Commander Orson Perrault: "Our armies finally get ready to conduct a large-scale counter-attack against Yuktobania. If we succeed, we'll never have to face the humiliation of those Yukes tramping on our homeland again. The tactical objectives of this counter-attack are simple enough: To invade and occupy Yuktobanian mainland, and conquer their capital city of Cinigrad. Therefore, I need everyone in this base fight their best to contribute in this war effort."

Screen wall is displaying vital information regarding impending mission for Wardog Squadron.

"As the first step of entire campaign, we're going to launch a large-scale amphibious assault against Yuktobania on the eastern coast of its mainland. This operation is named 'Footprint', twelve divisions of our military strength had been allocated to storm on designated beachheads to establish solid frontier bases for further reinforcements and operations, on a total battlefront stretches to 1200 kilometers, along eastern and southern shore of Bastok Peninsula. Wardog Squadron will participate in a small but critical piece of this huge puzzle board. Our tactical analysis has confirmed there is a weak point in Yuktobanian's overall coastal defense, that is Area YK09-L02, a.k.a. Volna Beach. This region is relatively poorly defended than other areas and once taken, can greatly compromise their entire defensive mechanism. But although 'relatively poorly defended', Volna Beach do have its potent defenses, in form of three layers. The first layer is a carrier battle group, consisted by an Admiral Kuznetsov-Class aircraft carrier and escorts, positioned miles ahead of coastline; the second layer is a series of sea-bound bases, converted from off-shore drilling platforms, serving as wet-docks, hangars and airstrips; these two layers of defense also contain majority of local defensive air force, if can be neutralized quickly, we can deny their abilities of launching aircraft which in turn to be our favor. Third layer is numerous defensive structures and units scattered from coastline to inland, as defense in depth; last, but not the least, is this square-shaped stronghold located in the north, their regional headquarter. To ensure the successfully invasion and conquest of Volna Beach, Central Command specially deployed elite landing forces selected from First and Second Osean Ground Defense Force Battalions, they will be divided into four companies, A, B, C and D. Wardog Squadron will clear paths for them to land on coastline, then provides further supports as they fan out and push into depth, finally take control of the stronghold as primary target. The assault will be under poor weather conditions, which should catch local garrisons off-guard, but fierce resistance is to be expected."

Perrault: "Seems the victory or defeat of Footprint is in your hands, children. I wish you the best luck and best performance in the battle, dismiss."

Wardog Squadron is fully fueled and armed, waiting for orders on runway. This time Blaze and Nagase pilot Su-35 Super Flankers, equipped with R-60Ms, R-37s and B-13 Rocket Hive-Pods. Davenport and Grimm pilot Su-37 Terminators, equipped with R-60Ms, R-74EMs and BLU-96s.

"Wardog Squadron, your cleared for takeoff." They accelerate, rise into sky, arrange a rhombus formation, disappear into distance.

"Altitude restriction cancelled, return to your mission, good luck."

Davenport: "Yeah, luck, we'll all need it."

Volna Beach, Bastok Peninsula, Union of Yuktobanian Republics

Longitude: 123 Degree 29 Minute 45 Second East

Latitude: 04 Degree 32 Minute 42 Second South

November 1st 2010, 16:30

A tropical storm envelops entire area, wind howls, rain pours, waves toss, not ideal for landing, however, landing operations always get carried out under a weather condition which is deemed not that suitable.

"Those Osean capitalists are attacking everywhere, but this beach is spared. Thanks to the storm. It's gonna to be a quiet day, almost too quiet."

"You can say it again, a tempest of water and vapor is too good compare with a tempest of fire and explosion."

"Only a psycho will attack here under such weather…" Well said Yuke, you just don't know the leader of Wardog Squadron is a magnificent psycho, and he is not the only magnificent psycho in Osean army.

Miles from coastline, dozens of helicopters and VTOL crafts, carrying troops inside or hanging vehicles underbelly, are flying near the surface, using the blind zone of low altitude and raging sea as covers, approaching enemies undetected. Wardog Squadron, flies even lower, bypassing them.

"This is Company A to friendly fighters, are you our air support in this mission? Wow, that's pretty a small squadron."

Blaze: "Wardog Squadron to friendly companies, we will clear a path for you to beachhead, please continue advancing."

"Wardog Squadron? The heroes who defended Sand Island and sunk the Scinfaxi? Guys! We got the 'Four Wings of Sand Island' to assist us! We can win through!" Cheers come through radio.

Wardog Squadron pulls up, unleashes hailstone of rockets and missiles directly to enemy carrier's deck, decimating bridge, catapults and parking aircraft, knock the ship out of the game. Then they disperses, cripple remaining ships in less than two minutes. Following that, they immediately dash forward to the line of off-shore platforms, disable all defensive emplacements and communication antennas onboard as well as wreck all planes still not able to be sent airborne. While transport group with landing companies fly by, some of them unload boarding parties on the incapable platforms, to eliminate remaining Yuktobanian operatives on site, occupy these structures for their own use.

Initial phases of sudden strike are successful beyond expectation, two layers of defense are breached in a matter of minutes, even after four landing companies are deployed on beach and begin to push forward, Yuktobanian defenders still unable to start a valid counterstrike.

Yuktobanian army's efficiency is demonstrated in the process of compensating previous setbacks. They quickly pull out artilleries onto hilltops and into jungles, also from fortified bunkers entrenched in side of hills, dousing Osean landing forces with shellfire, meanwhile, reinforcements from nearby areas, mainly some attack helicopters, enter the airspace to give a hand.

"We need REAL air support! Can't you dispatch some fixed-wing aircraft? Attackers! Bombers!" Someone, sounds like the commander in charge of local defense, shouting on the line.

"We're under heavily assault as well! Consider yourself lucky that we still have something to spare! It is your fault to be caught off-guard at the first place!"

Explosion, the primary communication tower in the stronghold collapses with headquarter, Blaze's doing. He promptly hits on full afterburner, dodges several anti-air missiles fired from ground by a barrel roll, escapes beyond their range, and rejoins his wingmen to plow ground for friendly forces.

"Headquarter is hit! Commander is inside!"

"Forget him! Quick! We need more ammo to feed artilleries!"

"The storm is interfering radar and infrared so badly! I'm almost firing in blind!"

"Just fire to the direction of the beach if you want to save your hide!"

"Eh…there're too many of them, which one should we attack first?" A Yuktobanian helicopter pilot asks, before get brought down by an R-74EM.

"Shack on Mi-24! Shack on AH-64D! Shack on Mi-24 again!" Davenport is hunting down enemy helicopters. Nagase is picking up sporadic enemy IFVs and tanks whose luck is bad enough to be positioned in the paths of advancing Osean landing forces. Grimm, on contrary, finds him almost idled, for all targets that he's planning to destroy had already been taken out by his teammates and friendly ground units.

"This is Company B! Enemy bunkers are halting our soldiers' advancing! Can you drive a missile into it?"

"Finally!" Grimm hurries to designated position, a group of AMP Units are exchanging firepower with a bunker half-buried in hillside. This bunker is fortified by reinforced concrete and steel, and is firing to nearby friendly forces with large-caliber machineguns as well as launching rocket-propelled shells to coastline, attempting to inflict more damages to Osean army. He fires four R-60Ms to it, only finds the missiles explode outside the bunker without doing actual damages.

"That armor's too strong for blasters…I mean for standard missiles." Grimm reports to Blaze.

Blaze: "Use FAEB. Tell friendlies to clear the area."

"Roger! Company B, withdraw from immediate area, I'm going to drop a BLU-96. Switch to targeting computer." Grimm aligns to frontal side of bunker and activates bombing targeting device.

A big fireball rises from bunker's frontal armor as result of FAEB impact, in fact, the explosion doesn't do much damage, but the deflagration exhausts oxygen inside the structure, suffocates all things that need to breathe. Bunker is effectively silenced.

Grimm: "Everyone who is stalled by enemy bunkers, here's special delivery for ya!" Then he talks to himself: "Now I understand why captain tells me to bring these bulky bombs."

"Company C here! Our heavy weapon dudes and AMP units can deal with enemy infantries and vehicles in our way, but can you do something to those Tornados on hills? We have casualties!"

"I'm on it." Nagase strafes Yuktobanian batteries deployed on hills by her B-13 Rocket Hive-Pods, triggers continuous violent explosions, she even feels her plane is being shaken by shockwaves.

"Hey cap, Company D requests removal of enemy artilleries hiding in jungle, but I have trouble to have a clear lock-on." Davenport says.

"Use FAEB's area effects. I'm coming to join you." Blaze instructs.

"Light'em up." Blaze unleashes rocket salvos as Davenport drops BLU-96s. Jungle is immediately turned into a blazing inferno. When frenzied flames consume ammo crates, explosions arise.

"Fall back! Fall back to stronghold to regroup! We can still put up a fight behind the walls!" Acting commander of remaining Yuktobanian defenders in presence of this mission area, issues a desperate order. Meanwhile, situation goes more desperate to Yukes, that is, Osean landing crafts drive ashore, with tanks and artilleries as follow-up units. Once off-board, M270s and 9A53-S Tornados deploy and fire at enemy stronghold.

Company A: "We have advanced to two miles away from stronghold! What's your status?"

Company B: "We're advancing too! But there's still thimbleful unorganized resistance, give us a little more time."

Company C: "Approaching from southeast, air force had silenced the last bunker in our way."

Company D: "We need to take a detour to bypass burning jungle, seems flyboys are a little overexcited."

"Converge with us as fast as you can, friendly artilleries have had them suppressed, this is the best chance to take out that citadel! We must forge into a single large force to commence final assault!"

Davenport: "Our ground forces are accumulating in front of the stronghold, enemies are a beast at bay now."

"…I should tell you earlier, my elder brother is down there, among the landing units." Grimm reminds.

"What?!" Exclaims Davenport: "You do should tell us earlier! Where is he?"

"I don't know, they all look the same."

"Then everyone down there is your brother." Davenport announces. Wardog Squadron gathers, ready to deliver final blow with landing companies, to Yuktobanian defenders who are trapped inside the stronghold.

"Charge!" Osean ground forces, supported by Wardog Squadron and artilleries, tear into front gate of stronghold, clash against last defense line of Yukes. Defense shatters in an instant, Osean army storms into stronghold's courtyard like a flood, slaughtering every resisting Yuktobanian combatant in their way.

Battlefield suddenly falls into deathly silence, for all Yuktobanian units outside had been destroyed, assault troops now are clearing interior of structures room by room. Minutes later, a declaration comes from ground: "Confirm last trait of Yuke resistance eliminated, Volna Beach is ours! We can't make it without you Wardog Squadron, Three cheers for you—hail, hail, hooray!"

"Thank yourselves, not us." Nagase sounds exhausted and depressed.

"This is off-shore platform occupation force, we had restored the functionality of airstrips and hangars, if you need resupply, come at anytime."

Blaze: "Our job is definitely done here, Wardog Squadron, prepare to land on platform for replenishments."

Later, Osean victorious reports come in en masse, all designated beachheads are successfully claimed and solidified into forward bases and expansion points for future assaults inside Yuktobania mainland. With their defense line crumbled, Yuktobanian armies begin to withdraw, in a large scale.

Wardog Squadron is attributed as one of first-class merit makers. Ironically, it also means more assignments are lined up, and they won't be able to return to homeland shortly. They spend that night on one of the drilling platforms, where they park the planes.

"…we will match forward and we will not lay down our weapons until Yuktobanian capital has fallen. However, our true enemy here is the Yuktobanian military who started this unjust war, therefore we're forced to set foot on Yuktobania with weapons in hands. So I hereby to ask you, citizens of Yuktobania: Do not fear us, but rather join us in…" General Howell, supreme commander of Osean armies deployed in Yuktobania, who claims to have been given full operational authority by President Harling, is making pronouncement on media.

"To the hell with all of those bellicists!" Davenport, drinking a bottle of soft root beer: "I never should trust that Mr. Cargo guy. Man…I thought he would bring peace back to us, not drive us into war! Now I just hope I can withdraw my vote to him."

"It's not his fault to let this happen." Nagase says.

"You still have faith in him?" Davenport's tone is slightly taunting.

"I don't know, but president will never authorize a war of invading other countries. Even if he's against the congress and department of defense."

"Could that possible that congress and some high-ranking generals deprived president from his authority and escalated the war on their own?" Davenport is frightened by his own guess: "No, nevermind, I must be crazy. Say, Grimm, what's your opinion?"

Grimm: "Me? I…I just follow orders. But I don't think I signed up for invasion or something."

"Then how' bout you cap?" Davenport turns to Blaze.

"I just choked up by one thing: If the open-war manifesto was in president's name, why he was not the one declared it to public?" Blaze's speaking rings a bell to everyone.


	11. Operation: Hammerblow

_**Operation: Hammerblow**_

Dresdene, Union of Yuktobanian Republics

Longitude: 123 Degree 29 Minute 45 Second East

Latitude: 02 Degree 39 Minute 14 Second South

November 2nd 2010, 10:11

"This is AWACS Thunderhead. Wardog Squadron, fly straight and you'll catch up target group."

"Thunderhead? Never thought you're assigned to frontline too. Small world, huh?" Says Davenport.

"Too small for two of us, and you're the last person I want to hear from." AWACS Thunderhead responds.

"C'mon! We had known each other for so long, that's cruel!" Davenport is pretending sob.

Grimm: "What is this? Midday 'husband and wife quarreling show' on live?"

Both Davenport and AWACS Thunderhead: "Shut up Archer."

"Oops." Grimm thinks: "That is a confirmation."

Yuktobanian armies are largely withdrawing from Bastok Peninsula since the severe defeats in yesterday. But so many units are on the move, there are different levels of priorities. The elite forces of course have the top rights of transportation arrangements, therefore they're being evacuated by airborne means. Worrying those Yuktobanian elites will pose threats if being used to strengthen depth defense and capital defense, Osean invasion force sends out best fighter squadrons to intercept all transports carrying retreating Yuktobanian military units, Wardog Squadron, as an ace squadron, undoubtedly is on the list of participants.

To sneak up from behind, Wardog Squadron chooses to ride on F-15SE Silent Eagle, which is considered on the top position of available medium-tier aircraft. Compare with earlier models of F-15 Series, F-15SE's biggest appeal is the procession of electronic low observable abilities, means it is harder to be detected on radar and infrared, especially to radars and infrared sensors installed on aircraft, which renders F-15SE optimized for air to air missions.

"Well you know that kings ain't stupid. But I don't have a clue. So don't be cruel Joseph. Help me I beg of you!" Davenport is singing to himself.

"Is the war going to end on tomorrow? You're actually enjoying music genres other than rock 'n' roll!" Grimm teases.

"Ha, even I sometimes want to listen something new. But Blaze's recommendations are way too high-tier, so I choose easy-going modern music dramas for starters. Besides, that Elvis-resembling pharaoh really gets me laugh uncontrollably, that's a brand-new definition of 'King of Rock 'n' Roll'."

Nagase (teasingly): "Excuse me, I need a long time to adjust myself in order to image a Chopper who is listening Bach. And a longer time to accept such a Chopper."

"That's cruel! When did you generate such stereotyped views on me?" Davenport retorts: "Cap! Tell them to should have an open mind!"

"…eh…I think you getting the wrong one…" Grimm is mumbling.

Blaze: "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a good start to a beautiful new world. Next time I hope you'll enjoy Evita and Cats."

Davenport sobs, of course it's not real sobbing: "Oh I love you cap, you're my only true friend here!"

"First Thunderhead, then now you're flirting with captain?" Grimm seizes another chance of teasing.

"Knock it off! Or I'll shoot you!" Davenport shakes wings as if going to chase Grimm. "Wow!" Grimm pretends to take evasive actions.

Everyone except Blaze and Davenport, chuckles or giggles, while Davenport is pouting: "いじめる(bullying)! いじわる(malicious)! ひどいです(That's cruel)!"

…

"Tally on C-130Hs, An-225s…wait…only F-16Cs as escorts? C'mon! Those Yukes spare no expenses on transportations for their elites, now they just don't have enough budgets for escort planes." Davenport comments on what his HUD shows.

Grimm: "Maybe troops in this group are not elite enough. Anyway, I'm in an excellent position." He presses master arm switch.

Nagase: "Edge, ready to engage on command."

"Escorts first, then transports." Blaze locks on F-16Cs and launches AIM-120Ds, his partners do so.

"Enemies! They sneaked up from six 'o clock!"

"Osean bastards! They even pursuit us to here! Escorts! Where're you? Do your jobs!"

"Another one got shot down! Escorts you're useless!"

"Sorry, order is order, nothing personal." Davenport launches two AIM-9Xs to an An-225, impact right under the joints between main wings and fuselage. Wing-detached transport falls like an over-sized bomb.

"That's a long, creepy way to go." Witnessing the wingless plane goes down from an altitude of ten thousand feet, Davenport speaks: "It is me, or everyone, feel like we're like eagles hunting pigeons? Man, this is cruel."

"Pretty large pigeons Chopper." Says Grimm: "I'd like to say hunting swans or albatross. But I agree with ya, feel no honor of shooting down transports like this."

AWACS Thunderhead: "Good work, first group of targets down, less enemies to worry about in later battles. I'm tracking the second target group, transmitting coordinates, hurry to intercept before they move out from mission area!"

"Closing on targets." Davenport knocks at HUD, then at instrument panel: "Hey guys, this is a large, large group, and don't you think the density is a little too high? Maybe my avionics are malfunctioning."

Nagase: "I'm also reading crowded signal feedbacks." Grimm: "Me too."

Blaze: "We're all looking at same thing. That is…unnatural."

"If it's not my avionics malfunctioning, then the other possibility is Yukes're running like hell and even don't care about aerial traffic safety, they must be really freaked out in yesterday." Davenport locks on six transports closest to him: "Looks like we have hit a jackpot today."

"Missile away!" Six AIM-120Ds are fired from Wardog Three, but to Davenport's astonishment, he only gets six misses instead of six hits or good kills.

"Eh…let me try again. Wardog Three, missile away!" An embarrassed Davenport launches a salvo of six XMAA, results are the same.

"Strange, it should be six targets down, what's wrong with this picture?" Davenport is confused: "I had wasted a dozen of missiles."

"You must do it in a wrong way. Lemme give a demonstration." Grimm locks on, launches AIM-120Ds, end up in misses as well. "Captain? Edge? This is not my fault."

"We're under a new type of ECM, producing fake feedbacks on radar…" Blaze switches frequency of his F-15SE's ESA radar, also consults infrared sensor: "…it affects on a broad spectrum, and on infrared too."

"Wardog Leader to Thunderhead, request ECCM. Wardog Leader to Thunderhead, request ECCM…" Blaze announces: "Communication is completely jammed."

Davenport: "Great! Now we have to fire a missile to each of them. For crying out aloud…"

"Not necessary." Blaze is calm as usual: "We still can make every missile shot count."

"How? Those feedbacks are looked same to me." Davenport is in disbelief.

"Wardog Squadron, shall we do it in hard way or easy way?" Blaze enquires his wingmen.

"What is the hard way, captain?" Grimm asks.

"Hard way is we dash into enemy formation, shoot down all ECM units."

Nagase: "Then what is the easy way?"

"We maintain our distance to them, distinguish real ones and take them out one by one with XMAA."

Davenport: "I prefer the easy way, guess you had already got an idea of identifying true or false, cap."

"Indeed." Says Blaze: "So we are a four-person tactical taskforce. I highlight targets; Edge, you take the shots since you're always a sharpshooter; Chopper, continue hailing Thunderhead until you get something, Grimm take charge of guarding. Are we clear?"

Other three pilots: "No problem."

"Good." Blaze slightly loosens his seatbelt, retracts visor, takes out a small but high-power binoculars.

"First one, bearing 285, altitude 9900, distance 4000."

Nagase: "Lock on. Firing XMAA, two away!"

A fireball blossoms at high altitude, debris of wrecked transport sprinkle down.

"Never thought we solve their state-of-art ECM by this…childish way." Davenport beams.

"That's the captain for ya." Grimm is admiring. Blaze: "Second one, bearing 320, altitude 10000, distance 4100."

Nagase: "Lock on. Firing." Good kill again. Blaze: "Nice shot Edge, now the third one…"

"The hell?! We had lost three transports! What's wrong with ECM? It should be perfect!" Yukes are roaring in dismay. Sorry pal, the author is the one who decides what is perfect and what is not.

"Fly as fast as you can, cover your head and hope for best! Escort squadrons will rendezvous with us once we get out from this airspace! They have Super Flankers and Terminators, enough to flap down those annoying Osean flies!"

As Nagase downs another transport, Davenport cuts in: "Hey guys, I pick up something on radio, not the Thunderhead, but I think you should listen. Here are the frequencies…"

"…we're reporting live from Dresdene Campus of Yuktobanian Engineering University! This civilian complex is under attack from Osean fighter squadron! We have several fires…casualties…severe…"

Davenport: "I remembered Central Command forbad anyone from attack any civils, who's violating order? Or maybe they just incapable of recognize military targets and civilian targets? What a bunch of morons!"

Nagase: "Dresdene Campus of Yuktobanian Engineering University? It's right inside our mission area, but I don't remember the briefing mentioned any other friendly squadrons present in this area."

"Whoever they are, there'll be a hell lot to pay once they RTB." Davenport says.

"This is the squadron leader speaking, all members of 8492nd Squadron, continue your attack on Yuktobanian university, do not withdraw until damage ratio is reached."

Davenport: "So they're attacking civilians deliberately?! We picked up their transmission, maybe later we'll be asked in assisting indict them."

"I feel sorry to those Yuktobanian civilians caught into the fires, they have nothing to do with this war." Sympathizes Grimm.

"Yeah, why can't we just be friends?" Nagase is depressed.

"Edge, a small challenge to you." Blaze instructs: "Two EA-18G Growlers, one is at bearing 295, altitude 12400, distance 4600; another is at Bearing 350, altitude 12900, distance 4850."

"Roger Blaze." Nagase launches missiles, squashes both electronic warfare support aircraft.

"Radar and infrared back to full functionality, seems not much of them left. Let's complete mission and go home." Davenport suggests: "I don't want to stay in this area even for a little longer."

"That's a valid suggestion." The last transport goes down in flames. And at same time, several Yuktobanian Su-37s enters mission area from northwest, head on to Wardog Squadron—temporarily. Yukes turns back, seems to avoid engagement, only one of them flies straight forward.

"This one is squadron leader and he is looking for a duel." Blaze hits on afterburner: "Wardog Squdron, stand down, I'll deal with him personally."

Like dueling knights, Blaze and enemy plane charge directly to each other, enemy fires a missile first, but Blaze dodges with a barrel roll, then uses high-g turn to grab bandit's six o'clock. But just as he completes this maneuver, Su-37 does a cobra. Now the hunter is the hunted, Su-37 fires another missile, Blaze dodges again by barrel roll and makes the bandit overshoots him. Knowing what Blaze is going to do, Su-37 immediately executes cobra and releases flares, bad for the Yuktobanian pilot, Blaze doesn't use missiles, instead pitches up and a precise burst fire from his gun in a superfast manner, nails his target on the back. Trailing flame and smock, Su-37 drops from sky like a meteor, but it never hits ground as an entirety for it explodes in midair.

"34 seconds, an excellent record." As Blaze returns to his squadron's formation, three members eulogize with admiration.

"Don't praise too much, or I'll faint." Blaze condescends himself.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Wardog Squadron, are you still there?"

Davenport: "Ah! Where have had you been? You really should lay off your incompetent ECCM crew…"

Blaze cuts short Davenport: "Loud and clear, please go ahead."

"I'm giving you coordinates of refueling aircraft. You're going back to Sand Island."

"I told you we've hit a jackpot today." Davenport is excited: "Now we have tickets to home. Ha, I want to sing 'Go, Go, Go Joseph' on the way."

Hours later, Wardog touches down at Sand Island. Adjutant Base Commander Hamilton is waiting for them.

"Commander Perrault wants to talk to all of you." Hamilton is leading four pilots to commander's office: "A friendly advice: Whatever he says, do not retort."

"What's going on?" Davenport asks, obviously things are not going to be good.

Hamilton turns to leave as he leads Wardog Squdron members to office' door: "You'll know soon."

Perrault is staring at a blackboard fixed on the wall, a piece of newspaper clipping is glued on it, the contents are about how "Four Wings of Sand Island" bravely strikes back invading enemies, with a photo of the pilots posing in front of camera.

Hearing door is open, Perrault turns: "Welcome back to Sand Island, Fantastic Four, guess you have become active action stars on frontline. Believe me, I don't want to put you into such perplexity, but all of you're going to Oured and to be inquired by Special Military Commission."

"What?!" Exclaims Davenport: "Did we do something wrong?"

Perrault: "That's what you're going to explain. Reports of Dresdene Campus of Yuktobanian Engineering University, a perfect civilian complex, being attacked by an Osean Squadron, are traveling back and forth in DOD and Central Command. Unfortunately, that facility is within the area of your last mission, so…"

"So you're suspecting us attacked that university?!" Davenport is losing temper.

"I'm not." Perrault exculpates.

"But you're assuming it!" Davenport steps forward.

Blaze immediately pulls Davenport back: "With due respect, Commander Perrault, my squadron didn't attack any civilians, we were assigned to an air to air mission and we carried no ordnances specified in air to ground purposes."

Perrault: "I hope all of you can understand, this is nothing personal, but those heavy-weights in Oured are some harsh roles. So I suggest all of you to take a good bath, a good meal, and a good sleep, get ready to be transferred to capital tomorrow morning." After a pause, he adds: "You're Osean heroes after all, so they won't push you too hard because they'll need you in the war. That's all I have to say, you can go back to your cells."


	12. Operation: Emerald

_**Operation: Emerald**_

Department of Defense, Oured

November 4th 2010, 17:30

Days had past since the declaration of the war against Yuktobania, and the atmosphere in this over-five-million-population conurbation which is so large, even reaches the size of a state on its own, named as "District of Oured" or "Capital District", is gradually going back to status of "daily peaceful", for the battlefields are far off the western coast, on the other side of oceans. However, not everyone can ignore this ongoing clash between two titans, for example, those who participate in it.

Department of Defense, an imperatorial, colossal, white-marble, roman-styled building situated beside one of the main lane of traffics. Wardog Squadron is being inquired by Special Military Commission about the suspected attack on Dresdene Campus of Yuktobanian Engineering University. Although it seems every questioner is forcing four pilots to admit that they intentionally inflicted civilian casualties and property damages, but Wardog Squadron is unyielding.

Blaze: "…I don't understand, we've been here for one hundred and fifty minutes, how many times do you want me to tell the same story? My squadron didn't attack any civilians, we were assigned to an air to air mission and we carried no ordnances specified in air to ground purposes. We intercepted transmissions on radio, a squadron professed themselves as '8492nd Squadron' deliberately attacked that university…" Before the hearing, Blaze told his wingmen that he would do all the talks, they keep silent unless being asked. He said in the worst scenario, if they cannot prove they're guiltless, he would take all responsibilities alone. Of course this self-sacrificing proposition was strongly objected by Nagase, Davenport and Grimm, but Blaze insisted, stating their careers mustn't be tainted.

"Then how many times you want us to tell you the same thing?" One of the questioners, a high-ranking officer with a four-star general's insignia, speaks coldly: "There's no squadron with that number in our military!"

Finally Grimm can't take anymore, he is about to lose it. But Davenport is one step ahead, he throws a fist on the desk in front of him: "So you believe a non-existent squadron rather than believe an ace squadron who had contributed so much to fatherland?! I have had enough of…"

Another questioner, a four-star general, whispers with his colleagues, then they reach a conclusion that both sides need time to cool down their own minds, so the inquiry is paused for thirty minutes. Therefore Wardog Squadron is arranged to a lounge with no others inside. Four pilots sit speechlessly on sofas, each one attempts once or twice to say something, but eventually decides not to do so.

Scrambled and hurried footsteps coming closer, then the door of lounge opens, the generals who were inquiring them walk in. Although not happy to see them, Wardog Squadron stands up and salutes as courtesy.

Generals salute back, one of them speaks: "We've got an emergency, Yuktobanian military presences had been detected near the Capital District, so we need you flying aces to take off immediately. As an exchange, the suspected civilian attack will not be prosecuted and will not affect your records."

Pilots look to each other, seems puzzled by the dramatically turn of situation.

"So, which mission would you to take on? That's right, we have two attacks to be dealt with. How about we use this to decide?" General takes out a coin.

Minutes later, Wardog Squadron, accompanied by generals, escorted by military policemen, enters the bottom level of DOD's basement.

"Federation's little secret." Says Davenport. This level is basically a subway station, with a small train waiting.

"We use this for war-time emergency evacuation, it can ferry you to the Western Suburb Airport (a small military airport outside Oured urban area) via underground in fifteen minutes." General says: "You can access high-tier aircraft now, let's see what an ace squadron can do."

Minutes ago, a group of Yuktobanian military transports, all are An-225s, suddenly showed up on radar network and were heading to Apito International Airport, one of the major aerial transportation hub of Osean Federation. It was too late to mobilize fighters to intercept them in track when they were spotted, for no enemies ever appeared in such a depth of Osea before. The airport immediately began to evacuate passengers and redirect incoming airliners to nearby auxiliary airports after received warning. But Yukes moved fast and there were so many people, when they reached vicinity of airport, evacuation was even not half-finished.

"Passengers! Please do not panic, follow staff's instructions…" But how can they do not panic? It will be strange that a civilian remains calm when enemy military presence is imminent.

"Oh no! They come! We're screwed." Control tower of Apito International Airport witnessed Yuktobanian transports landing on runways helplessly. Transports taxied into parking apron, but no further movements. "What're they waiting for? Maybe they just want some fuel for journey home?" Of course not, this was merely "calm before storm", and more peaceful the calm, more furious the storm.

Suddenly all ramps of transports opened, T-95s drove down. Unlike common T-95s, these ones have two cannons on turrets, so they pack twice firepower than usual. Tanks opened fire on terminal buildings, panic was escalated for several magnitudes.

"(crying tone) Damn it! This is a civilian airport! Apito International Airport to any friendly military units nearby! Enemy tanks firing in airport! This is a massacre here!" Control tower got hit by cannonry and reduces into a pile of rubble.

A reinforced regiment of elite Yuktobanian army, with armored units, had occupied the airport and had literally transformed it into a makeshift stronghold. After receiving distress calls, several Osean armed forces responded and made several attempts to reclaim airport but were beaten due to they're merely "rookie-level", and only could retreat to build up a defense perimeter with a radius of several kilometers to surround immediate area.

As if deliberately humiliating Osean army, occupying Yuktobanian army rolled out artillery units, fires several shells to every direction from time to time. Surrounding Osean army were gnashing teeth in anger, but they could do nothing. In the tent designated as joint command HQ, commanders of these forces gathered together to discuss possibilities of utilizing heavy artilleries or strategic aviation, even strategic rocket units to level airport along with all Yukes inside it.

Order from Central Command arrived: All units hold position, an ace squadron will be send in to deal with Yuktobanian threat, they only need to keep Yukes from escaping.

Apito International Airport, Gurnard State, Osean Federation

Longitude: 221 Degree 48 Minute 12 Second East

Latitude: 04 Degree 16 Minute 55 Second South

November 4th 2010, 21:01

"How could they let enemy transports infiltrate so deep into our mainland? They don't have any electronic low observable abilities and they can't trick our IFF now." Nagase is chocked by this ridiculous situation.

"Considering those big-shots in DOD flipped a coin to decide our mission, I won't be surprised by depth of their stupidity." Davenport taunts.

Blaze speaks calmly: "Maybe someone in high-level deliberately let them slip through. They think they can contain them."

Davenport: "No joking here! What is it for? Escalate war further? Drive the hatred even deeper?"

Grimm: "Well, look at the bright side, we're piloting F-15S/MTD! This plane is awesome! I really want to drive it back home and park it in garage."

"Airport in sight, looks we're still too late to get there." There are at least thirty fires burning on or in terminal buildings, as Wardog Squadron shows up in eastern sky, SAMs rockets from airport like fireworks.

Wardog Squadron breaks formation and quickly descends to only a dozen meters from ground, dodges all missiles and uses airport structures as covers to avoid Yuktobanian radars. Then they suddenly rise up from behind of the buildings, to enemies' surprise. S-400 Triumphs and ZSU-23-4 Shilkas adjust angles and targeting systems to reacquire them, not fast enough, and are destroyed by salvos of AGM-88Ds and AGM-65Gs.

More units with anti-air functionalities are pulled out from parking transporters, but Wardog Squadron are flying too low and too fast, also turn hard with small radius thanks to F-15S/MTD's F-22A-rivialing mobility. Yuktobanian tanks and other vehicles are being picked up group by group.

Blaze skims at an altitude less than sixty feet, he fires a burst of slugs into a T-95's turret, yaws right, launches two AGM-88Ds to a row of S-400s. A ZSU-23-4 Shilka fires to him from behind, he immediately rises high almost vertically, then turns around, destroys that Shilka from right above.

Seems current situation is a standoff, Wardog Squadron is eliminating Yuktobanian troops, while get their hands full, one target down, another one immediately takes its place.

"This can last for entire night." Davenport complains: "Yukes really invested a lot in the operation, just watch how fast my ammo count goes."

"Quite a direct indication of how mad to us they are, considering what happened to their university." Grimm flies level, locks and destroys six tanks by AGM-65Gs.

Nagase: "So this is the retaliation attack?! Why do people have to be that stupid?! Don't they understand more of their civilian targets may fall victims to similar retributions after this?!"

On the ground of airport, a Yuktobanian officer is talking on a portable radio: "We have them bogged down for now, how's the missile fueling progress?"

"Still halfway sir. We're doubling efforts."

Yuktobanian officer: "Triple it! Even this is a kamikaze mission, we must make it worthy!"

Blaze does an Immelmann turn, charges to a parking transport, destroys it. Nagase knocks a Tornado off ground, the ricocheting vehicle clashes into a pile of ammunition crates, triggers a huge explosion.

Grimm: "What's the point of this mission? Even they can use this airport as an expansion point and keep it running at maximum efficiency, it's still impossible to assemble enough combat units from their mainland to fight a way to Capital District, much less to occupy it. And there's no way to go back either, our forces have had this region surrounded."

"They must hate us to an extreme extent, even knowing this is a suicide mission, they had determined to inflict as much damage as possible." Davenport shakes head and sighs, suddenly missile alarm roars, he releases chaffs and flares and does a sharp turn: "That was close."

"Yuktobanian never intends to invade Oured, they have a more sinister plot." Says Blaze: "Look at their deployment, the highest concentration of anti-air units are surrounding and protecting a certain group of transports from us, I wonder what cargoes are on board."

Davenport: "I don't want to know what they're carrying, must be bad. Let's destroy them before they can be unloaded."

Blaze: "Those Shilka and Triumph are coordinated by advanced radar trucks. All missiles I fired were intercepted, and radar trucks are deployed behind enemy lines, we'll be hit if trying approach to destroy them."

"How' bout going in from minimum altitude?" Grimm suggests.

"Won't do any good, we'll fall prey to their guns." Blaze disapproves.

"I'll distract them, Blaze, you take Chopper and Archer to knock out radars." Nagase volunteers to be bait: "I can approach from very high altitude, it will be difficult for them to hit me."

"I've got an idea, it needs all four of us." Blaze suddenly flashes a spark of intuition.

"When cap gets an idea, it must be crazy and it do works." Davenport jokes.

Blaze: "Knock it off Chopper, here's the plan…"

Wardog Squadron rockets to service ceiling, levels, dives vertically right above enemy group, when radar trucks are in range, they lock on and unleash missiles, then execute an U-turn at once, rocket to service ceiling again, fly level to escape to safety. Although all radar trucks and quite a number of anti-air units are smashed, but it seems still too late, for trucks of another military purpose drive down from ramps of that certain group of transports.

Grimm: "Ballistic missiles! That's what they're planning!"

Nagase: "I can't believe they want to bombard our people with these!"

Wardog Squadron turns back as quick as possible to throw hammers to ballistic missile trucks. Believe or not, they manage to wreck them in time, however, as they flyby, they find those trucks are merely decoys, when one of the An-225s' ceiling suddenly blows outward, revealing a Long-Range Ballistic Missile armed with Burst Warhead, hidden inside its fuselage.

Davenport: "This is the real one! Damn Yukes!" Before they can turn around and fire again, the ballistic missile is lifted vertically by launcher and ignites boosters, undoubtedly it's going to hit Orued. Although the target is well inside range of a SRBM or MRBM, but attack a target that close with LRBM has its reason, the surplus range can be converted into a super-curved trajectory, dramatically increasing difficulty of interception.

Almost at the same time, Blaze hits on afterburner and follows that missile, carefully avoids its bright-orange wakeflame, however he cannot fire until it breaches altitude of 5000 feet, and as the missile is picking up speed rapidly, the window of firing is so slim before he reaches his own service ceiling. Moreover, he must prevent the warhead falls below 5000 feet again after shoot the missile out, or the airport is finished. So in short, Blaze must fire to that fast-ascending missile at a perfect time, and fires again to destroy the warhead at another perfect time. By 70% of skill and 30% of luck, he successes in both, waist-cut the missile first, then knocks warhead before the inertia carries it upward wears out.

Remaining enemies in Apito International Airport are wiped out soon, but the airport itself sustains serious damages and civilian casualties are counted to be hundreds, if not thousands. Entire runway and apron sectors are nothing more than a smoking junkyard.

Davenport: "Man! This time they went too far! I dare to say Central Command won't let Yukes get away with this. Maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow we will be sent to their territory and bomb their major civilian airports or railway stations. I'm telling you, I'll do that with pleasure, serve them right!"

Nagase: "Chopper…please…don't say that."

"I'm not joking! Look at this! Look at what they had done! They even attempted to destroy our capital by Burst Missile!" Davenport raises volume: "Even some easy-going people like me begin to generate hatred to Yukes."

"An eye for an eye, an arm for an arm?" Grimm grieves: "It will never end…"

"Not our concern…for tonight. Wardog Squadron, RTB." Blaze changes course to direction of capital.

"Blaze you're heartless." Davenport determines.

Nagase: "No, Blaze is trying to ease our mood."

"It doesn't feel like a propitiation to me." Davenport contests.

"Chopper, just be quiet and follow the formation." Grimm flies past Wardog Three.

"What's wrong with you? C'mon! That's cruel!" Davenport groans in agony, but catches up with his partners.

The next day, Wardog Squadron is relived from accusations of actions against civilian targets, and is given a three-day off-duty directly by those top-ranking generals. However they are not allowed to leave District of Oured. Members of the squadron are not happy about this, for those heavy-weights still don't believe them after all (Davenport commented as: "I wanna sing 'Close Every Door'."), and also for the Yuktobanian attack inflicted severe damage. Moreover, despite Blaze saved the capital (or the airport) from a direct hit by a Long-range ballistic missile armed with Burst Warhead, no medal was awarded, although Blaze himself has little comment, his wingmen are upset.

Nagase is savouring a cup of coffee, sitting beside a round table which belongs to a café. Grimm is eating hotdog, no conversation between each other.

Whispers from background: "Never thought the war broke out so near to us!" "Yeah yeah, I really should move back to my hometown, now every major city can be a battlefield at any time…"

A newspaper is thrown onto table, it's Davenport: "The other side of the coin is even worse." Nagase reads newspaper, headline is "One Night Stand in Bana City" printed in capital letters, with a large photo of a coastal city burning under curtain of night.

Yesterday, at the same time Apito International Airport was swarmed by Yuktobanian elite forces, Bana City, an academic city located on southern shore, next to Atlantic Ocean, was plagued by mustard gases released by Yuktobanian commandos. Bana City is famous for its long-history of academic atmosphere, welcoming environment and high-concentrated, well-developed educational infrastructures, such as institutes, research facilities and laboratories, etc. Moreover, gifted by bright sunshine and limpid sea, this city is also on the list of touristy recommendations. But all of those shattered when hostile Yukes infiltrated into unban area and set off a large quantity of chemical weapons. Although Osean Air Defense Force quickly sent in squadrons armed with neutralization agents to sanitize toxins, but Yukes pulled out Plan B, that is, city street battle. Osean pacification forces and Yuktobanian commandos battled against each other throughout entire urban area for whole night, explosions and gunshots continued until dawn break. After total annihilation of enemies, thousands of civilians had already been traumatized physically or psychologically or both, the city itself, may need weeks, if not months, to be reverted back to normal.

After finishes her reading, Nagase passes newspaper to Grimm, then stares at her coffee cup without a word, she is trembling, and her hands almost crushes the porcelain cup. She is psychologically traumatized, not severe, but is traumatized.

"The only good Yuke is a dead Yuke!" Grimm growls in very low volume and throws newspaper back on table. He chews remaining of his hotdog with abnormal strength as if he's chewing Yuktobanian flesh.

Davenport: "Guys, what should we do now? I mean where should we go? I desperately eager to kick some Yuke butts, but we can't go back to western front until three days later. We're officially stranded in Oured."

"Although this is my first time visiting capital in my life, but I'm not in the mood of looking around." Says Grimm.

"I second this. I can't find any motivations of shopping or visiting amusement park, or museums and other tourist attractions." Davenport echoes with Grimm: "Even arcade game center won't be able to lower my spirit."

Nagase: "I just want to find a place of tranquility. Maybe a small hotel with a garden in suburb can do."

Blaze emerges: "I have a pretty good place to go, feel free if you want to join me."

One hour later, outskirt of Oured.

The four get off from a taxi. Blaze takes two notes from wallet and hands to the driver: "Transportation fee."

Driver shakes hands: "This ride is free, soldier boy, for thank you for defending our country."

Blaze: "You're welcome. Have a good day."

Taxi driver: "Enjoy your vacation, you gonna need it." Shifts gear and tramples throttle.

Looked after the taxi as it fades out from his sight, Blaze turns to frontal side of the yard's walls, where the gate is situated, followed by Nagase, Davenport and Grimm.

"I hate to see what you're hiding." Davenport, upon entering the yard through gate.

"Is this your home, captain?" Grimm is amazed and looks to every direction, attempting to record everything into his pallium.

"Guess." Blaze leads his men to front door of the house situated in middle of the yard. He swings access card to the reader panel: "Don't feel constrained, make yourself comfortable."

Nagase beams: "Is this an order?"

Blaze pulls door open: "Nah, a recommendation."

In living room, Davenport is lazily reclining on a long sofa, watching one of the two TV sets situated in front, off the far side of a large tea table. Grimm stands behind sofa: "I see you really follows captain's words, making yourself too comfortable huh?"

Davenport: "If cap says 'make yourself comfortable', you'd better do what he says, or he'll put something in your spondyle to force you be comfortable."

"That works to me." Grimm moves his sight to TV screen: "Say, should we just endure this stuff all the way? How about something more audience–friendly?" The contents on TV are nothing else but "Osean citizens march on streets of major cities to protest Yuktobanian attacks on civilians", "Congress passed new bills of war-time budgets", "New recruits to Osean Defense Forcez rocket sky-high", "Yuktobanian government claims the assaults on Apito International Airport and Bana City are retributions to the bombing of Yuktobanian Engineering University"…etc.

Davenport grabs remote control and switches channels: "Even animation channels, movie channels and video game channels are infested by such stuff! War is hell!"

Grimm: "Why must we stick to TV programme?" He looks at a large, doorless cabinet, orderly arranged with movies, animations, documentaries, video games and video game consoles. Davenport gets the hint, he leaves sofa and checks on video game discs' covers. "I challenge you a duel over Tokyo." He raises two boxes both titled as "ACE Combat: Assault Horizon".

"Shall we ask captain for permission of using his properties?" Grimm asks as he helps Davenport to connect X-Box 360 to HDTV.

"Of course not. If these items are too precious to be touched by others, cap will lock them up in his sanctum or bedroom, concealed inside a cabinet with solid doors." Chopper had finished connecting and initializing consoles, now he is trying to have a comfortable grip on controller: "Besides, there're two TV sets here, means this room is for video game contests."

"Plausible." Says Grimm: "I'll be the host. Say, where's captain and Nagase?"

Grimm: "Nagase is wandering in yard, smelling flowers. I don't know where cap is, he gotta be somewhere around inside perimeter."

Blaze enters living room with a pan of dessert, followed by Nagase: "Your video game can wait. Try this stuff."

"What is this? Some kind of water ice?" Davenport takes one of the four bowls from pan.

Blaze: "Ujikintoki (うじきんとき), traditional Japanese dessert, one bite guarantees entire day's joyousness."

"So it is actually a narcotic drug?" Davenport deliberately jokes.

"Maybe. But it's 100% legal, affordable and no instantiation side-effects." Blaze echoes to this joke.

"It is working! I feel my heart had already been lightened up!" Grimm beams after taking a bite: "Hope my mouth can be bigger."

Nagase: "Where did you get these stuff? I'd like to mark the shop on map." Girls are always in love of desserts after all.

Blaze: "Homemade. I concocted them in kitchen."

"Don't you kidding me, cap." Davenport is in disbelief.

"Am I a person of kidding?" Blaze pretends to be unjustly blamed, but he is, in fact.

"No." Davenport swallows remaining stuff in his bowl, wipes mouth: "Man, I hate to see what you're hiding, no matter materialized or not."

Grimm: "Never expect battle-hardened captain has this kind of skill. I'm highly looking forward to lunch."

"This is your lunch." Blaze says.

"What?! That's cruel! You can't treat us with mere desserts…although it tastes good…" Davenport protests, initially loudly, then immediately drops to murmuring.

Blaze continues with a plain tone: "A large-sized homemade Chinese-style feast is pending for dinner, conservation of stomach capacity is recommended." He carries the pan with four empty bowls away to kitchen: "Enjoy your video game."

Other three pilots look at each other as Blaze leaves. Nagase shakes head with a bitter smile. Davenport: "Um…does every Chinese and descendant of Chinese act in this way?"

Grimm: "I hope not, but I like him. Say, will you select your aircraft now?"

"I gonna enjoy sunshine and serenity of the yard." Nagase moves out: "Peace is hard to come by."

That evening, just like Blaze previously stated, he prepared a table of Chinese-style dishes, basically Sichuan-category, including Pork Lungs in Chili Sauce, Kung Pao Chicken, Fish Filets in Hot Chili Oil…etc. all with authentic tastes. Undoubtedly, Nagase, Davenport and Grimm are overjoyed and result in a feeding frenzy.

Davenport: "I really hate my stomach cannot be more voluminous. Military foods are worse than poison compare with these…"

Grimm: "Actually, military foods are not that bad. At least captain once said he quite enjoy them…"

Davenport: "You know what I mean!"

Grimm: "I know I know! Look at your manner of eating, as if you had been starved for a week…"

Nagase: "China must be a fascinating nation. Hope one day I'll have a chance to visit it."

Blaze: "Conserve your praise, because tomorrow's dinner will be western-style and dinner of the day after tomorrow will be Japanese-style."

"Man, you always have something hidden from us, cap" Davenport swallows another bite of spicy food, then douses icy Coca-Cola as fire-extinguisher.

"Many things." Grimm corrects.

After the meal, Davenport and Grimm are locked into a contest of karaoke. Blaze quietly washes all food containers in kitchen.

Nagase enters: "I'll help you."

Blaze: "I'm grateful."

"I'm the one who should be grateful." Nagase grabs dishes and begins to wash: "Guess those boys are too excited this evening." Loudly singing, or more precisely, howling, comes from living room, it's definitely Davenport.

"Why I'm thinking all windows and glassware will crack in minutes?" Says Blaze, both him and Nagase chuckle.

Nagase: "You actually have sense of humor. Do you mind if I ask a personal question?"

Blaze: "Then I'll give you a personal answer."

"This is your girlfriend's house right? Or your sister's." Nagase renders her conclusion.

"What made you think this way?" Blaze slightly raises eyebrow.

Nagase transports a stack of dishes to cupboard: "Well, although the watering system is automated, but the yard have been definitely undergone manual gardening, and the internal of this house is too clean and tidy, so this place must be owned and run by a girl or girls. Besides, I noticed a group photo, there were you, a maid and a beauty with raven-colored, long hair. That long-haired girl is the one who has property right of this residence, am I right?"

Blaze: "You got nine points out of ten, however I have to correct several things. First, she is not my girlfriend yet, although I sometimes generate the thought of letting her fill in that role. Second, two third of the cleanest and tidiest living quarters are owned and administrated by male. Third, this house and the surrounding yard are her parents' properties."

"Now I'm confused. You have a decent civil life, you can cook, doing housekeeping, and got a high-quality girlfriend…I mean 'para-girlfriend' plus a cute maid by your side, why did you join military? Seeking for challenges? Duty of citizenship? Don't tell me you were brainwashed by those army recruiting propagandas."

"I didn't." Blaze is working on last group of dishware: "I wanted to be an astronaut since childhood, and you know, the necessary path to that goal is becoming an ace pilot at the first place."

"Well, that explains." Nagase agrees: "Seems you're much more amiable when out of the uniform. Will you introduce those girls someday?"

"Perhaps, but you have to wait. I had told them to evacuate to southern Osea, where should be safer if war expands to mainland, and remain low until the war is over."

"You really care about them." Nagase verdicts.

"Just like you said, I'm much more amiable when out of the uniform." Blaze clears up kitchen, as Davenport begins howling a new song with gravelly voice, sounds like a lacerated plastic disc: "It's time to save those windows and glassware."

Nagase giggles and follows Blaze to living room: "Yeah, quicker we move, more we can save. Now I'm thinking about luckily Davenport doesn't know your personal life, or he'll definitely slam his head against wall and screams: 'I even don't have a girlfriend myself! How can someone like Blaze already got such a high-quality one?! And this one even has a maid as a free offer! That's cruel!'"

Blaze: "Comprehensible."


	13. Operation: Snake Pit

_**Operation: Snake Pit**_

Somewhere over Union of Yuktobanian Republics.

"We have obtained sufficient information. Now we're going home." Three F-117As, repurposed as scouts, rendezvous together in a triangle formation and fly east.

Sand Island Air Force Base

November 8th 2010, 11:11

"I feel my bodyweight had increased for…twenty kilograms…during the past three days." Upon arrival, Davenport jokes.

"Then I must have gained thirty kilos, even it doesn't look like that much." Grimm follows this joke.

Davenport: "It's all cap's fault, he shouldn't treat us with his handmade feasts."

Grimm: "Hey! Don't pass the buck to captain. You could choose to eat less or eat nothing at all, but you ended up in a feeding frenzy."

"What's wrong Blaze?" Nagase finds Blaze is staring at something or someone.

"There're too many new faces here, I remember last time we were here, they didn't exist." Blaze frowns.

Nagase: "That's fine, many veteran pilots are being relocated to frontline, so new replacements roll in."

Blaze still frowns: "These people aren't pilots but ground security."

"C'mon Blaze, if you sniff out something wrong, it's definitely wrong, however sometimes you're way too sensitive." Nagase drags Blaze to the direction of buildings: "Let's go back to cells, I feel new a mission is upon us soon."

Davenport, watching Blaze is pulled away by Nagase: "When did they get so close, even only a few steps from marriage?"

"Are you jealous? First lieutenant?" Grimm grins evilly.

"Me? Jealous? Nah." Says Davenport: "Kei Nagase is not my type. My dream girl must be a beauty with raven-colored long straight hair and a well-endowed figure, plus a gentle demeanor. It'll be even better if she has a cute maid by aside."

Grimm circles both of his index fingers on calvaria with eyes closed: "I'm picturing a girl matches your specification, but I'm always bad at figurative imagination."

Davenport: "I give you a hint: How' bout Hijiri Gogyo from comic 'Tsuki! Tsuki'?"

Grimm: "Actually, it is originally a light novel, illustrations and characters are drawn and designed by cartoonist Riko Korie."

"You know that series? Man, I got a comrade here!" Davenport excites.

Grimm: "I'm not that kind who reads Das Kapital or Art of War to kill leisure hours. So I dive into animations, comics, video games and light novels."

Davenport: "I can understand. Say, which one is your favorite girl in the series? I'm for Hijiri, you know."

"I prefer Miss Luna to Miss Gogyo. Don't get me wrong, Miss Gogyo is a good girl." Grimm pulls Davenport to buildings: "C'mon, let's continue discussion after get inside."

Four Su-43 Berkut II are approaching a city burning under night sky. A Su-43 Berkut II looks like an ordinary Su-47 Berkut with a redesigned cockpit area, plus new type of default engines, granting it enhanced acceleration, deceleration, mobility and stability. Although four hardpoints under main wings partly compromised electronic low observable abilities, but the true value of a fighter is "fight" not "hide".

Blaze: "All right, we had entered the airspace over the city. Remember neutralization agent canisters can be dropped like unguided bombs, but must impact very close to the root of gas column to be effective. Our special sensors will indicate positions of gas-releasing point on instrument panel screens. Longer those gases exposing in atmosphere, more toxic they will be as the color gradually changes from white to tan, prioritize gas columns which had begun to change colors."

"All right! All right! Thanks for the step-by-step instruction, cap." Davenport wearies.

Blaze: "Thousands of civilians' lives are at stake. You slack off, they die. Wardog Squadron, separate and neutralize toxin gas on your own."

Grimm: "Um…how can we recognize which target should be taken out first? I mean it's dark out there, how can we recognize colors under night condition?"

Nagase had already begun to drop her canisters to gas columns: "We have flood light onboard, and unban light as auxiliary."

Blaze drops a canister precisely onto bottom of a gas column, unlike bombs, the canister silently discharges a white vapor instead of explodes loudly. Seconds later, the column of toxin dissipates gradually, but there's no time to confirm effectiveness of neutralization, for there are still dozens of them to go.

Most of gases are sanitized, don't take too long, but a few of them, being released between tall buildings tightly clustered together, are very difficult to get. Wardog Squadron is forced to fly high and dive sharp, in order to have a clear line of dropping, even though they still have to make multiple attempts in order to neutralize several gas-releasing points which are too tricky in angle.

After the last gas column disappears, HUD displaces a text message "Mission Accomplished", then everything goes black. Seconds later, the "cockpits" of four "aircraft" open, revealing the surrounding of an underground hangar. The mission Wardog Squadron just went through was a simulated training, designed to counter chemical weapon attack in urban area. And as an ace squadron, Blaze and his wingmen are give the privilege to use the new type of flight simulator, codenamed "Cocoon", which were just shipped to Sand Island days ago, the only four produced so far.

Stimulation results are being annouced: "…a total of 96 gas points presented in simulation. Wardog One got 26 of them, Wardog Two got 24, Wardog Three got 22, Wardog Four got 24 too…overall time elapsed: 2 minutes and 54 seconds…the system evaluation shows your efforts reduced projected civilian casualties by 90.1%…" Hamilton is supervising this training from observation chamber, suddenly he picks up a telephone receiver from control panel, after listening what is said from another end of the line, the adjunct commander activates microphone to speaker: "Wardog Squadron report to briefing room immediately, we've got an emergency mission issued from Central Command."

"Emergency mission from Central Command? Don't tell me they're sending us to…" Davenport murmurs.

"I will now briefing the details of your mission orders. As the ace squadron of Osean Federation, you're probably the only ones who can carry it out. Our forces are pushing deeper into Yuktobanian mainland, however more and more reports from frontline indicate enemy presences are always much larger than the data provided by intelligence. Luckily, tac-recon had figured out one of the reasons behind this unusual phenomenon: A large-sized cluster of ammunition storages had been detected in Area YK22-A06, among the hills and dense jungles north of Lake Dama, well inside enemy-controlled territory. Judging from photos taking by scouts, we estimate it houses enough quantity of ordnance that can feed a ground division's demand of continuous combat for a week. This storage cluster must be destroyed in order to deliver a major blow to Yuktobanian army from their stomach." Perrault speaks and hints Wardog Squadron to look at screen wall which is displaying more detailed information of the impending mission.

"The target facilities are deeply entrenched into the heart of hills, in a total of four. The tunnels for material transportation are only exploitable weak points, but even those are built by reinforced concrete and steel-plates, so the only way to make a valid attack is fire straight on. Unfortunately, most of tunnels are located on hill feet, rendering an airstrike risky of crashing, moreover, flying at such a low altitude will be susceptible to RPGs, shoulder-mounted SAMs, helicopters and VTOL crafts. Our forces had already sent out all available electronic warfare support aircraft to weaken Yuktobanian air defense radars, which should open a safer channel for you to infiltrate into enemy territory by flying low, but this mission is still challenging due to aforementioned circumstances, so proceed with extra caution."

Perrault: "It's time for you to put your skills on some tough trail, I wish you best luck and best performance as usual, dismiss."

In hangar, Wardog Squadron selects their aircraft and weaponry. They can access high-tier models since last mission, which also means "tuning" feature is available.

* * *

**Wardog One "Blaze"**

**S-32**

※ Special Weapon 1: Kh-31PM

※ Special Weapon 2: R-74EM

※ Engine Part: Uranus Engine

※ Wing Part: Adv Balance Tab

※ Armor Part: Diffusion Coat

※ Weapon Part 1: Destructive Missile

※ Weapon Part 2: Extra Ammo

※ Miscellaneous Part 1: Earth Shaker

※ Miscellaneous Part 2: Proximal Jammer

* * *

**Wardog Two "Edge"**

**Su-47 Berkut**

※ Special Weapon 1: R-27R1

※ Special Weapon 2: JP233

※ Engine Part: Uranus Engine

※ Wing Part: Adv Balance Tab

※ Armor Part: Diffusion Coat

※ Weapon Part 1: Destructive Bomb

※ Weapon Part 2: Extra Ammo

※ Miscellaneous Part 1: Earth Shaker

※ Miscellaneous Part 2: Proximal Jammer

* * *

**Wardog Three "Chopper"**

**Su-47 Berkut**

※ Special Weapon 1: R-27R1

※ Special Weapon 2: JP233

※ Engine Part: Uranus Engine

※ Wing Part: Adv Balance Tab

※ Armor Part: Diffusion Coat

※ Weapon Part 1: Destructive Bomb

※ Weapon Part 2: Extra Ammo

※ Miscellaneous Part 1: Earth Shaker

※ Miscellaneous Part 2: Proximal Jammer

* * *

**Wardog Four "Archer"**

**Su-47 Berkut**

※ Special Weapon 1: R-27R1

※ Special Weapon 2: JP233

※ Engine Part: Uranus Engine

※ Wing Part: Adv Balance Tab

※ Armor Part: Diffusion Coat

※ Weapon Part 1: Destructive Bomb

※ Weapon Part 2: Extra Ammo

※ Miscellaneous Part 1: Earth Shaker

※ Miscellaneous Part 2: Proximal Jammer

* * *

Duga Region, Union of Yuktobanian Republics

Longitude: 108 Degree 15 Minute 16 Second East

Latitude: 02 Degree 05 Minute 07 Second South

November 9th 2010, 13:06

Four Osean fighters skim close jungle crown, among gorges between hills.

"AWACS Thunderhead to Wardog Squadron. You have entered mission area. Fly straight and you'll see the targets."

"Our Growlers surely did a good job, huh?" Davenport says with a casual air.

Grimm's tone is relieved: "I'm glad we're not going to attack any civilians as retaliation for their retaliation."

"You can say that again, pal." Davenport replies: "I will not follow that kind of order, even if get court-martialed."

Grimm: "Correct me if I'm wrong. But I clearly remember someone said if be sent to bomb Yuktobanian major civilian airports or railway stations, he'll do that with pleasure. Does that sound familiar?"

"C'mon! Don't you ever knew a vocabulary called 'tsundere (ツンデレ)'? That's cruel!" Davenport protests.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Cut the chatter and focus on current mission!"

"I won't be able to concentrate as long as you're around." Davenport mutters.

"I heard that!" A loudly voice from AWACS Thunderhead.

Two Mi-310 Thor are floating ahead. They spot Wardog Squadron.

"Who're them?"

"Osean fighters! Alert…" Both Mi-310 are destroyed by R-27R1s launched by Nagase.

Blaze aligns straight on to the first tunnel gets in his sight, which is stretched out from a hill-foot. He launches two Kh-31PMs successively, the first one punctures blast door, the second one goes through into the depth of tunnel, directly impacts into the ammunition stockpile. Seconds later, flame sprays out from tunnel entrance with shock wave and muffled detonation.

Grimm: "Captain got the first one!"

Nagase: "Blaze will do the job, we just cover him."

Davenport: "All right, let's make it hot!"

Meanwhile, local Yuktobanian garrison is thrown in confusion: "What's that noise? Explosion?" "Fire alarm in Sector A-1! Contact is lost!" "I had told them not to smoke in or near weapon storage for one thousand times! Now they're in for it!" "Get situation ascertained ASAP! Is it an accident or an attack?" "Enemy attack! I repeat! Enemy airstrike! Sound air raid alarm! Scramble all hands!"

As if just get waken from sleep, Yuktobanian soldiers rush out from barracks, grabs any weapons can be found and can be lifted by a human's arms.

Blaze moves on to next target, he skims down closely alone hillside, to the bottom of valley, dead ahead to a tunnel entrance.

"Sector A-2 is hit!" "Damn! It's full of mortar shells in there!" "Internal temperature is increasing! Rest of crates will set off by their own!" "Suppress the fire! If those ammos go up in smoke, we'll be court-martialed!"

The third target on Blaze's menu is located on the edge of a wide-open alluvial plain, between several hills. Facilities of local Yuktobanian garrisons are also presented here, large tents, radar sites, makeshift houses, and a simple airstrip. After bomb the barracks and knock over several armored vehicles, Blaze moves to initiate attack run on the mission target, but soon is forced to pull of since multiple infrared-homing missiles head to him from different directions. His flares and internal jammer work well, no missiles get close to him.

Enemy infantries are scattered on plain, firing at Blaze with FIM-92, a few of them, instead, use RPG-32. FIM-92 "Stinger" is too famous even to those who're unfamiliar with military hardware (if you don't know about it, go and re-think your own mistakes by facing a wall), although fossilized, it is still useful for reliability, and can pose threats to modern fighters even mainly designed to take down helicopters (Pakistan army once shot down Indian MiG-21s by FIM-92, proved its effectiveness against jet fighters). RPG-32, on the other hand, is a powerful and versatile anti-tank/anti-personnel rocket-propelled grenade launcher, although purely a ground-to-ground weapon, however since it can destroy a tank, it can definitely destroy a fixed-wing aircraft—if can hit it.

Davenport: "Watch out cap! You're surrounded by enemy fires!"

Grimm is busy of pressing buttons and throwing switches: "Enemy soldiers with shoulder-launch SAM and RPG! They're too small to be shown on my radar!"

"At this distance, infrared only displays blurred patches on screen, you can't use guided weapons on them." AWACS Thunderhead expresses that he can't help either.

"That's why Blaze told us to bring these ordnances." Nagase puts her finger on the button which switches the active armament, but hesitates to press it.

"Do we have to use it? That could be a massacre." Davenport is also reluctant.

Blaze keeps dodging dense missiles and rocket-propelled grenades fired from ground. He has no troubles to protect himself, but has troubles to carry out a straight attack to tunnel entrance on this condition. Every time he gets a proper lock-on, the next second he breaks off by numerous incoming SAM and/or RPG.

"We can't wait anymore! Captain needs to be covered!" Grimm flies high and switches his weapon to JP233. JP233 is a large-sized container filled with hundreds of submunitions, used to be dispersed upon a wide area, depends on altitude and angle. Small bombs rain down from his Berkut like a pouring hailstone, in a blink of eyes, explosions engulfed the ground below, such scene literally reflects Burst Missile attacks weeks ago. Enemy soldiers who happen to be caught in the blasts, are effectively reduced to blobs of bloody mince.

Follow Grimm, Davenport and Nagase also release their JP233s. Blaze, free from interception, attacks the third tunnel entrance and succeeds.

"Missile hit! A-3 is in flames!" Screams, explosions, statics.

"This sector is finished! It's exploding from inside!" Exclaims Grimm.

"Look at the scale of detonation! I wonder entire hill will collapse or fly sky-high, leaving a crater as big as those on the Moon." Davenport comments.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Armory in this hill is destroyed, three sectors to go!"

Blaze flies over hilltop, to the next mission target, this one is located on halfway up. He drives two missiles inside with ease.

"Send Harriers into sky, keep them from attack ammo dump! Call fighter squadrons from rear!"

"Picking up new set of signals! Hostile Sea Harriers are taking off from hilltops! Be careful out there!" AWACS Thunderhead warns.

"They built VTOL sites atop those hills." Nagase had already begun to engage Yuktobanian Sea Harriers. Although easily outmatched by Berkut on every aspect, Sea Harrier's VTOL ability can be an advantage against high-speed fighters. Two Sea Harrier are firing guns and missiles to Nagase as they suspend in mid-air, function like hovering turrets. She circles around them, seizes a chance to destroy them both with a salvo of R-60Ms. Following that, Nagase releases JP233 on the VTOL site, watching dozens of violent explosions erupt over a wide area like a triggered minefield, she has to admit this weapon really comes in handy despite opposition to its undue lethality.

Blaze is on the money to take out another tunnel entrance, this one is surrounded by jungle, and enemy soldiers are hiding inside, waiting to attack him head-on. Bad idea, Blaze launches missiles and pulls up before entering their range. After skimming over hilltop, he dives down to a dock complex located on the river which runs through the other side of the hill, sinks a container ship.

"There's a dock here, burn it." Ordered by Blaze, Grimm and Davenport use JP233 to purge the designated area, then squadron leader dives again, to only meters above river surface, fires two Kh-31PMs into the tunnel entrance connects to the dock.

Nagase flies above hilltops, downing more Sea Harriers. Those VOTL crafts stand no chances against a fifth-generation fighter piloted by an ace. She also flies in loop pattern, dives to a VTOL site and blows it up by JP233, pulls up and soars high, then dives to another site.

There're still many infantries with SAMs and RPGs hiding in jungle, fire at Osean fighters. Davenport and Grimm mark the approximate positions of enemy fires, counterattack with JP233, decimating resisting Yukes alone with trees around them, granting Blaze safe rooms for attacking tunnel entrances.

AWACS Thunderhead: "Good! The second sector is neutralized! Now proceed to…wait! Large number of helicopters and VTOL crafts detected! They must be trying to evacuate the cargoes! Stop them!"

"Yeah yeah! Tell us where they are. C'mon, next time you come down and take my seat while I go up and take yours." Davenport mumbles.

AWACS Thunderhead: "I heard that! It must be a hidden VOTL site somewhere, it should be where the density of copters is highest!"

"Edge, Chopper, Archer, stop any Yuktobanian transports, I'll continue attack on ammo storage." Blaze orders and heads to another direction.

The other three pilots converge at the front of another hillside, there is a wide-open, build-in hangar, CH-47s and Mi-310s are being loaded and are taking off. They set fire inside the hangar first, then reap down those airborne ducks.

Suddenly a huge explosion bursts out from hangar, spraying out flames, debris, burning crates, even several helicopters and VTOL crafts, etc.

Grimm: "Wow! It's like a volcano eruption!"

Davenport: "That is close, never thought it blows up like this, things must have gone pretty bad in there…"

Nagase: "…this is sad…too sad…" As she witnesses some human-shaped objects, engulfed in fire and smoke, struggling in desperation and pain, falling down to their deaths.

Davenport: "C'mon Edge, let's get it over with, we still have a mission to complete."

Nagase: "…yeah…I understand…this is war." She turns to remaining enemies.

Blaze shots down several Sea Harriers who attempt to stop him. A brave Ka-50 Hokum is hovering above the targeted tunnel entrance, and fires two R-74EMs. Blaze takes a barrel roll and releases flares, dodges missiles, slugs a burst fire into Ka-50's cockpit. He does a loose loop, reposition himself back to the initial point of attack run, two Kh-31PMs fulfill their historical purposes.

"The aerial transportation hangar bay had been destroyed!"

"Fire is spreading to anywhere! There's nothing we can do! Abandon facility! Abandon facility!"

Gunshots, someone who sounds like a military leader: "Nobody goes to nowhere! We're staying here to the last second, and go down in flames with it!"

"Missile warning!" Missiles are fired to Wardog Squadron, not from infantries but from vehicles. Several Flakpanzer Gepard drive on a long bridge connects two hilltops to join the fight. Blaze immediately fires back, brings down the bridge.

Three out of four storage sectors had been taken care of, but Yuktobanian won't quit even situation is so dire and impossible to be reversed. They concentrate remaining troops to defend the last group of tunnel entrances. Soldiers gather in front of the gates with their shoulder-mounted weapons ready, and they had built up lines of sandbags, even set up heavy-machinegun emplacements and spotlights. But unfortunate to them, those measures are pointless, for their weapons are outranged by Kh-31PM and JP233, and Wardog Squadron's canopies and visors are light-filtering.

As the last tunnel entrance squirts flames, Yuktobanian resistance stops. Everyone knows the result of this skirmish is revealed: Osean Federation sweeps the board.

AWACS Thunderhead: "All armories destroyed! Mission complete! However long-range radar shows Yuktobanian squadrons are heading to your way, get out from there before any of them show up!"

Davenport: "I agree, enough bloodshed today, no mood for any dogfight."

When Yuktobanian fighter reinforcement arrives, Wardog Squadron had already left minutes ago. Later salvage teams enter storage complex in an attempt to retrieve anything still "fireable", only to be wiped out by unexpected, follow-up explosions. Today is not Yuktobanian's day, obviously.


End file.
